


Not So Ordinaries

by Vampire_Chick25



Category: Dark Angel
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-06
Updated: 2015-05-25
Packaged: 2018-01-18 10:01:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 49,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1424413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vampire_Chick25/pseuds/Vampire_Chick25
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Alec finds himself falling for an ordinary girl, will her presence in his life put her, him, or both of them in danger?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: - I do not own Dark Angel or any of the characters. If I did, there was no way I would have canceled it after only 2 seasons!

Seattle in the year 2020. The nuclear pulse during the early 21st century knocked out all of the compute systems, frying the satellites. The city is now left in basic ruins. The authorities have taken control. Turning it into a fear filled, police run society. No one but its own citizen’s venture inside. And now, mingled amongst those citizens, are the escaped captives of Manticore.

While the TV and newspapers report on the horrors that are the transgenics, they are all hiding out in Seattle. The X series can easily blend into society, they look like normal humans. But the transhumans aren’t so easily hidden. They are the mutants the newspapers were reporting on.

But the newspapers and TV’s lied. All those reporters saying about how all these mutants were monsters, and just wanted to hurt us. The truth is, all they wanted was to be accepted. They just wanted to live their lives.

Just like Max and Alec were. While Max had been out for 11 years, Alec had only spent a year on the outside. But both had still adjusted into lives they wanted to keep. But that was becoming more and more difficult especially since the incident with Joshua. Now all the news channels had full coverage of what had happened, there was no denying Manticore or the transgenics loose in Seattle.

So, when an opportunity to act like any normal guy or girl came along, Max and Alec took it. Which is why they had just entered Crash, Original Cindy close behind them, and they totally planned on having a normal night. But the normalcy of the night was momentarily ruined when, 30 minutes in, a news report on Joshua blared onto the TV.

“Don’t even think on it for a minute, Boo,” OC said to Max at the look on her face. “You know doggy-dog did nothing wrong.”

“I know,” Max said, sighing. “I’m just sick of seeing those new reports on every channel.”

“Don’t worry. They’ll get bored of this soon enough,” OC assured her.

“I hope so,” Max said, gulping down another mouth full of beer.

While Max and OC had been discussing the news report, Alec had turned to watch it, turning his body towards the bar. As his eyes flicked down from the TV, a new site hit them. A smile being his only telling sign, Alec stood and walked to the bar.

“Alec?” Max called after him, getting no reply. “Where is he going?” she asked OC. Following Alec’s path, OC smiled as she figured where he was going.

“He’s going to see his girl.”

@~~>~~~

The minute Alec had spotted the familiar face, well more like figure by the bar, ha made his way over to her. For the past couple of nights, he had seen this girl in Crash every night he came in. And whenever he did, he just had to spend time with her.

He could still remember the first night he had met her.

@~~>~~~

His round at the bar, Alec made his way over with the empty pitcher. Turning once it had been refilled, Alec crashed unintentionally into a young girl heading to the bar. Grabbing her arm before she toppled backwards, Alec looked down at her as she stared back at him.

Emerald green eyes stared back at him, staring out from beneath a sheet of soft red ringlets cascading round her face and just hitting her shoulders. Deep red lips curled into a wicked smile, glowing against her pale skin.

“Sorry,” Alec said, letting her go and smiling just as wickedly back at her.

“That’s ok. As long as you didn’t….” The girl trailed off, looking down at her top to check for beer stains.

“You’re safe,” she said, finding none and looking back up at him. Alec laughed slightly as a genuine smile across her lips.

“What do you say I buy you a drink to apologise anyway?” Alec offered. This girl really was gorgeous and she seemed to have a cheeky side. She was his type of girl, and the idea of spending the night in Crash with her was actually a quite appealing one.

“Well, I’m not gonna say no to a free drink,” she said, following Alec to the bar.

“I’m Alec. For future reference, if I’m lucky enough to bump into you again,” Alec said once he had ordered her drink.

“I’m Donna. For future reference, if I’m lucky enough to have you bump into me again,” she replied with a smile as beautiful as her.

@~~>~~~

Making his way over to Donna tonight, Alec slid into the stool beside her. Turning at his presence, Donna smiled that beautiful smile at him.

Feeling more than seeing the body sit next to her, Donna turned to see Alec had taken the seat beside her. Donna couldn’t help the smile that crossed her lips. Alec just seemed to have that effect on her.

From the first night she had met him, Donna knew there was something different about Alec. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but that didn’t matter. She just wanted to get to know him better, and maybe the mystery about him would fit in later.

“Hi there,” Alec said when she turned to him. Donna watched as the smile her flashed her lit up his gorgeous face. “I thought you said this place was getting dull.”

“Oh Alec, you know I only come here to see you,” Donna said with a small smile.

Both Alec and Donna knew their first meeting had been a total cliché kinda meeting. After crashing into each other, they had spent the might together at the bar. Not an inventive meeting, but a meeting all the same. So when after the first night they found they really did enjoy each others company, the way they first met really didn’t matter much.

“So you don’t mind me sitting her then,” Alec replied with a smile as he ordered a drink.

“Why, you bored with you other mates?” Donna asked, flicking her gaze quickly to Max and OC.

“No. Is it a crime if I want to sit with one of my other mates?” Alec said.

“Not to me, but I think it might be to them. They haven’t stopped staring at us since you came over here.”

Donna turned her body fully to the bar and her drink as Alec turned in the direction of Max and OC. He turned quick enough to see the girls casually turn their gaze away after having been staring at him. Alec smiled, turning away from them. He could see through those girls as well as they said they could see through him. Seeing him with the same girl night after night, and the fact that he was not getting anything out of her sexually, was a little bit of a shock to them two. It was even a little weird for Alec. He had never before put this much effort into getting a girl.

Staying by Donna’s side, talking, it was 10 minutes before his advanced hearing kicked in. he heard Max’s pager go off, and at this time of night, it could only be Logan. And Logan calling now could only mean trouble.

Alec looked over to find her on her cell phone and he watched as the conversation, clearly with Logan on the other end, ran it’s course. When Max put the phone down, she turned to Alec and motioned for him to leave with her before turning back to OC.

“Alec, are you ok?” Alec heard Donna say beside him. He turned to find her staring at him.

“Yeah, I’m fine, but I’ve got to go. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Alec said, kissing her cheek as always and darting quickly from the bar before she had the chance to ask where he was going.

Donna watched him dart from her side and, unfortunately, watched who he left with. Every night when he came into Crash, he came in with her. And although what was between her and Alec wasn’t a real relationship, or was probably never going to be, she still felt a little jealous. That little something about Alec that she found mysterious, she just knew that that girl, Max, knew about it. Donna guessed that if she really liked Alec as much as she thought she did, she figured out his mystery eventually.

@~~>~~~

The second Max and Alec were out of Crash, Max began the questioning on Donna Alec knew was coming.

“So that girl….” Max began, gauging his reaction before she went on.

“Donna,” Alec finished for her, not looking her way.

“Yeah, Donna. You spend a lot of time with her. Pretty much every night if I’m not mistaken.”

“You’re not. What’s your point?” Alec said, still keeping his eyes forward.

“No point,” Max said off-handidly. “But she is an ordinary, right?”

“Yes. But again, your point is…? Alec said, this time turning to her.

“Well, wasn’t it you a couple of weeks ago who was telling me it was too dangerous for us to be around ordinaries?”

“Right, so this is about you and Logan really? Because you can’t be with your ordinary, I ain’t allowed to speak to one.”

“You were the one who told me it was best for Logan if people like you and me stayed away from him,” Max snapped back, Alec’s reply hitting her a little hard. What felt worse was what she knew she had to say next.

“And you were right. As much as I hate to admit it Alec, we are different. And the only thing we can give people like Logan or Donna is pain. I mean, that girl doesn’t even have a clue who you really are, does she?” Alec stayed quiet, and that was enough of an answer for Max.

“Maybe you should think about taking your own advice sometimes, Alec,” Max finished.

“Look, let’s just drop the subject, ok,” Alec said, turning his eyes forward again. “Let’s just see what the mighty Eyes Only wants this time.”

As usual, Alec used his ability to get on Max’s last nerve to shut her up. The truth of the matter was, Alec knew all too well what he had said to Max was right. Ordinaries like Donna and Logan were putting their lives at risk being around them. Alec knew he should get out while he could, but it wasn’t that easy. He had gotten to know Donna, and he really liked her. If it made any sense at all, he felt at ease around her.

But the bad thing was, that was because she didn’t know who, or what, he really was. Which just put her in more danger if White came looking for him. But it wasn’t like he could tell her who he was either. He didn’t want her to go running off on him right now. He wanted to believe she was different and would understand, but he couldn’t risk it. So why, with all the reasons not to, was he still sticking around her?


	2. Chapter Two

Max and Alec walked into Logan’s apartment to find him, as usual, sat in front of his computers. Upon hearing the click of the door opening, Logan pushed himself away to see his visitors. His eyes falling on Max first, a smile spread across his lips. It left the minute he saw Alec trailing not to far behind.

Whenever he called Max for help, or whenever he saw her, Alec was always with her. As much as he told himself Max really did love him, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy every time he saw them together. Alec was involved with a part of her that, no matter how hard he tried, Logan would never really be a part of. Then there was the big problem of the virus that stopped them from being together properly. Who could blame her for turning to someone she could be with, if that was the case?

“Hey. You paged,” Max said, stopping in front of Logan with one of her beautiful smile on her face, aimed at him. That smile was more than enough to push away his fears.

“Yeah,” Logan said, smiling back at her. “I just got some information that I really think you should know.” He glanced quickly over to Alec. “Both of you.”

“So, what new info do you have for us, buddy?’ Alec said, slouching down into a chair on the other side of the room. Max rolled her eyes, turning her back on him.

“I’ve just had a phone call from Sam Carr,” Logan began. “He said he’s just had some man round asking some very weird questions about one of his patients. You, to be more precise. A man from some government agency Sam’s never heard of.”

“White,” Max said, knowing just where Logan had been going with this.

“My guess would be yes,” Logan said, although he knew it was more than a guess. There was no one else it could be.

“So now White’s going through whoever he can to get to me. Which means everyone I’ve ever come into contact with. All my friends,” Max said, the thought of what White could, and would do to all the people she cared about truly scaring her.

“Oh my God,” she said as a new thought hit her mind. “Sam. Is he ok?”

“Yeah, he’s fine,” Logan reassured her. “He said his method of gaining answers was a little unorthodox, but he’s ok. I told you this because I thought you might want to warn….”

“OC and Sketchy, you’re right,” Max finished for him.

“Well, how exactly are you gonna warn Sketchy?” Alec finally spoke up. “He hates transgenics, so you can’t really tell him you’re one.”

“It’s not just Max that’s in danger here, but you too, Alec.” Logan said.

“Why?” Alec asked. “Max is the one he’s always after. No offence Max,” he added to her as an after thought.

“Not according to Asha. It seems Sam Carr’s not the only person White’s been speaking to.”

“So? Asha knows Max too,” Alec said. “Besides, White thinks I’m dead thanks to that little bomb he put in my brain.”

“No. Asha said she was asked about a male transgenic she was seen with. No mention of Max at all.”

Hearing Logan’s admission, Alec’s mind went into shock as an unwanted Thought and fear came into it. His eyes going wide, all Alec did was utter a single word.

“Donna,” he said as he raced back out of the apartment.

“Who’s Donna?” Logan asked Max, who was still staring after Alec.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” Max said as she raced out after Alec.

@~~>~~~

The first place Alec could think Donna could be was at Crash. Strike that, it was the only place he hoped she would be. He had only known her for a couple of days, and Crash was the only place he had seen her at. So while he headed down there now, he just hoped she was still there and White hadn’t got to her.

Pelting round the last corner before Crash, Alec’s fears were brought to life. Donna was indeed still at Crash, but she was leaving. The only problem was she was being roughly dragged out by people that looked too much like White’s Familiars for his liking. Quickly searching the surroundings, Alec was glad when he couldn’t see White anywhere close by.

Blurring forward with his advanced speed, Alec took the two Familiars by surprise and managed to wrench Donna from their grip. Pushing Donna gently to one side and out of harm’s way, Alec turned to find that it was no longer just two Familiars he was up against. Two more had joined them, and it was now four against one. Not good odds. But Alec wasn’t the type to run from a fight. So as they charged towards him, he went for them.

Alec knew all too well that these were no ordinary guys he was fighting, and that he’d never be able to knock them down quickly. They were just as powerful as transgenics, and had the added bonus of not feeling pain. So he turned to at least trying to distract them, hoping that Donna was smart enough to have made a run for it. So he went to blurring in and out of his opponents, throwing off punches and kicks when he could. But as fast as his blurs were, the Familiars still managed to catch him with their blows, each knocking him back more than a normal punch or kick would.

As he noticed the amount of blows coming his way lessen, Alec realised he was now only fighting two Familiars. Looking round for the other two, Alec was shocked for a second time tonight as he found them.

@~~>~~~

The minute Alec had pushed Donna to the side, she had watched as he pounced on the four guys charging his way. Watching his speed and skill with each punch and dodge, the mystery of Alec was suddenly revealed to Donna.

Watching the fight with awe, that suddenly turned to fear as two of the men fighting Alec pulled away and headed for her. Pushing her fear down, Donna decided she wasn’t going anywhere without a fight. That was just the type of girl she was. The only reason she had been dragged from the bar was because she had been caught off guard.

Attacking the men coming at her, Donna aimed a high kick at one, slamming her elbow into the others jaw. But while she expected them to be knocked back, even for a second, they even seem to flinch. Shocked into fear again, Donna stood back as they advanced on her again, this time pissed off.

As they came at her again, Donna decided this time to duck instead of fight back. She dodged and weaved expertly past each punch and kick thrown her way, only being hit by the odd one. But when she was hit, it felt like she was being hit with a sledgehammer it was that powerful.

Standing up from a tuck roll, Donna watched breathlessly as her two opponents quickly regained their composer and turned to her. Out of the corner of her eyes, Donna could see Alec watching her. But she didn’t have enough time to turn to him when she had to dodge another blow. She saw the glint of the blade in his hand too late as it dug deep into her left shoulder, slashing through the thick leather of her jacket.

Crying out in pain, Donna missed the heavy kick to her stomach that sent her to her knees. Backing against the wall, Donna dodged one more strike of the knife, hearing the clang of metal on brick as she rolled to the side and to her feet.

As she prepared to dodge another blow, she felt a strong grip around her right upper arm. Expecting to see one of the other attackers, she instead found herself staring into Alec’s concern filled eyes. Without a word, he pulled her away from the oncoming blow to her head and took off round the back of Crash. Even without running at his top speed, they still managed to lose their attackers. Either that or they weren’t trying to hard to catch them again.

Slowing to a stop, Alec let his grip on Donna’s arm fall as he watched the breathless girl in front of him. She was bent over slightly, her focus on her feet. Her breathing steadying, she slowly turned her gaze up to Alec. But, strangely, Alec didn’t see fear behind her eyes like he had expected. Instead her green eyes held his, giving him the same look of friendship and caring he was used to seeing.

As Donna turned to walk away, Alec pulled her back. She had just gone up against White’s Familiars and come out pretty much unscratched. More to the point, she had seen him using most of his… skills. Despite what he was seeing in her eyes and what he wanted to believe, he couldn’t let her run away right now. For her sake if nothing else.

“Donna, please don’t run off. I think there might be a few things we need to talk about.”

“You’re right,” Donna said, looking down at the hand Alec once again had gripped tight round her arm. “I was just hoping we could be far away from here when the police arrive.” She pulled out of his grip and instead took hold of his hand.

“My apartments closest,” she said, taking off in the opposite direction. And Alec, despite his shock, followed behind her.

@~~>~~~

Max pulled her bike to a skidding halt outside Crash to find police standing outside talking to four men she didn’t like the look of. Mostly because they looked a lot like White’s Familiar’s. things just got worse when a car pulled up, and White stepped out.

Turning her bike quickly round, Max took off back where she had come from, hoping that she didn’t have to break Alec out of jail yet again.


	3. Chapter Three

Once inside her apartment, Donna shrugged her jacket off, hiding a small grimace at the cut on her shoulder that had finally stopped bleeding. She still couldn’t believe that whatever she had been hit with had managed to go through her jacket. That was a good jacket. Her favourite. Whoever had ripped it was gonna pay for a new one.

Alec watched her all the while she moved around her apartment without saying a word. She knew he was there. She had left the door open for him to follow her in, and he had willingly followed. He had a few questions she still hadn’t answered. Like where she had got all the moves she had pulled back in the alley.

Alec wanted to know what she was, but not by asking the question of Manticore that would give away more about him than he wanted to right now. So instead he watched as she pulled back her hair. No barcode. But as she lifted her arms, the slight grimace of pain she gave took his attention to something else. The large cut that crossed her left shoulder.

“Jesus, Donna,” Alec said, stepping close behind her. “Why didn’t you tell me about that earlier?”

“It’s no big deal. Really,” Donna said, watching over her shoulder as Alec pulled down the neckline of her top to examine the wound closer.

“It is. That knife went pretty deep. Trust me.”

Alec kept his gaze away from her, not wanting to answer the inevitable question of where his medical knowledge had come from. But Donna didn’t ask. Instead she just shrugged away from his hands and went into the bathroom. Alec followed.

“Those were some pretty neat moves you pulled tonight,” he said, leaning against the doorframe.

“You too,” Donna replied, searching through the contents of the cabinet.

“Right. So where did you learn to fight like that?”

“Look, I ain’t asking you questions about the obvious, so let’s not start on this subject, ok?”

“The obvious?” Alec said, still trying to act like he knew nothing. Donna simply turned to him, bandages in hand, and said nothing. She instead walked past him, pulling up the collar of his jacket to hide the visible barcode.

“That obvious,” she said, sitting down on the kitchen table.

Alec just stared at her. She knew what he was. Knew what that barcode meant. Hell, it had been all over TV since the incident with Joshua. There was no way she couldn’t know. Yet here she was, letting him into her apartment and acting like he was just any other guy. The big question was why.

“So you know what I am?” Alec asked simply, standing over her.

“That was made kinda obvious tonight,” Donna replied, trying her best to clean her wound.

“So why I am still here? Why haven’t you kicked my ass out and called the cops about a transgenic on the loose?” Sighing, Donna put the cloth down and turned to him.

“Because I know you. And I trust you.” She turned back round, and Alec smiled. That wasn’t the reaction you’d expect to get from a girl finding out the guy she was friends with had actually been made in a test tube. Alec watched as she still struggled to clean her wound.

“If you trust me, let me sort out your shoulder,” Alec said, kneeling beside her and taking the cloth from her hand. Donna smiled and let him tend to her cut. “So, this whole trust deal. Does that count for all us or am I just special?”

“Well, we know you’re special, Alec,” Donna said with a smile. “But yeah, I trust you all. I figure if you actually wanted to harm us, you’d have done it long before now. You’re a useful part of society. I’m proof there’s no difference. I didn’t know about you until tonight.”

“Ok, so that’s us X series sorted in your books,” Alec said, putting the bandage on Donna’s wound and sitting in front of her. “But what about the so called monsters?”

“Same deal,” Donna said, pulling her top back up. “I don’t see why someone should be judged for the way they look.”

“They’re not. People think they’re aggressive because of what happened with the sector cops.”

“I was there that day. I saw everything, and it was self defence. He was scared. In a world where you’re judged before you get to make your point, who can blame you for being scared.” Listening to her words, Alec scooted to the edge of his chair, sitting closer to her and taking hold of her hands.

“You, Donna, are an extraordinary woman,” Alec told her, to which she smiled shyly.

“No, Alec. That’s you. I’m just ordinary.”

“No. You’re not. You are incredible. I don’t know too many people who think like you do.” While Donna giggled slightly nervously, Alec shifted his position and sat beside her. “Ok, you know about me, so what about answering my question? The moves you pulled tonight.” Alec smiled but he saw Donna’s face visibly fall.

“My dad,” she said with a sad smile. “He taught me. He used to say that there were a lot of terrible people in the world, and he wanted to protect his little girl from them.”

“Sounds like a caring guy,” Alec said.

“He was,” Donna said. At her use of the word ‘was’, Alec wasn’t sure what to say. He wanted to hear the full story, but he really didn’t want to hurt her.

“He died three years ago,” Donna carried on her story. “An accident at work, or so the investigators said.”

“What do you mean?” Alec asked, keeping his voice soft and comforting.

“My dad was so careful in his lab. He would never have let any kind of accident happen. What happened to him, I don’t know… I think he was….”

“You think he was killed,” Alec finished for her when the words got stuck in her throat. As an answer, she let out a small burst of forced laughter and bowed her head.

“What about your father?” Alec continued. “What job required him to work in a lab?”

“He was in the genome business.” Hearing her answer, Alec gave her a slightly bemused look, which Donna found amusing as she gave out her first real, light trill of laughter.

“Yeah, it’s kinda weird right now thinking my dad could have had something to do with the way you were brought up.”

“Do you know for sure your father worked with Manticore?” Alec said.

“Maybe he didn’t,” Donna said with a shrug, her smile quickly leaving. “Then again, I know very little about my dads work. He’d be away for weeks and he’d never say a thing about what he did. Not even to my mother.”

“That’s the way a lot of these people work. In secret.”

“Yeah, but it wasn’t just his work my dad kept a secret. I know nothing about him at all. My own father and I couldn’t tell you a thing about his life.” Donna sighted deeply and pulled her hair loose, shaking it round her face. Anything to keep her hands busy. “I wish I could though,” Donna said, her voice beginning to break. She still had her hand in her hair, her elbow leaning against the table and her manicured fingers tracing small circles in her scalp.

“I wish he would have tried harder. Hell, I wish I would have tried harder. I wish a lot of things. Like maybe that I could have had a better relationship with him. I guess I really wish… I just wish I knew what really happened to him.” As a single tear slid down Donna’s cheek, Alec swung his arm round her shoulders, hugging her close to his side.

“I don’t know why I’m saying this,” Donna said, resting her head against his shoulder. “It’s not like either of us would have tried if we had the chance.”

“I’ve already told you, you are a wonderful person,” Alec said. “No matter what you think, I’m sure he was proud of you.”

“I know that’s the kind of thing you’re supposed to say in this sort of situation,” Donna said with a sarcastic laugh. “But you really don’t know my family.” She pulled away from him, wiping the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes.

“But now’s not really the time for my long winded family history,” she said, putting on a completely false smile. “What are you gonna do about those guys, whoever they were?”

“God, I forgot about them. And you can bet, after everything, they know where in live by now.”

“Who were those guys?” Donna said, thankful for the change of topic.

“They work for a guy named White,” Alec explained. “He’s got a real thing about wanting me and my kind dead, and him and his followers aren’t the kind of guys you wanna mess with.”

“Well, the couch is free if you need somewhere to stay,” Donna said, getting up and pulling blankets and pillows from under the couch, pressing them gently into his body before turning to her own room.

“Except for your heroic rescue, I have not had the best of nights, and I have a headache. I am going to try ands get some sleep, so I will see you in the morning.”

Alec stared at the closed door for a minute before he smiled, organising the couch for him to sleep on. It seems all his hopes about Donna being different and understand were right. And that was something he was extremely pleased about.

@~~>~~~

Alec woke up next morning with the smell of fresh coffee invading his sense. He opened his eyes to find Donna stood over him, a smile on her lips and two cups of hot coffee in her hands.

“Morning sunshine,” she said, holding one of the cups out to him.

“Morning,” he replied, sitting up and taking the cup from her. He followed her movements as she walked over to the table, sitting down and turning to him with the smile still on her face. Alec smiled himself at the fact that she still looked beautiful first thing in the morning.

“Sleep well?” she asked, draining her coffee cup.

“Surprisingly, yes,” Alec said, taking a sip from his own cup.

“Good,” Donna said, her smile turning into a small laugh.

“So, fancy coming somewhere with me today to meet someone?” Alec said, standing up and walking closer to her. The fact that he was now walking round in just his jeans didn’t seem to bother her as she stared up at him.

“Sure. I’ve got nothing better to do today,” Donna said, walking to the kitchen with her empty cup. Grabbing his shirt from the floor, Alec made to taker Donna to the place he was currently staying now it was daylight. He was sure his room-mate would love the chance to meet someone other than him or Max, but how would Donna react to him?


	4. Chapter Four

“Hey, Josh. You here boy?” Alec called out as he and Donna walked into Joshua’s house.

“Alec?” he heard the big guy yell in return. Before he walked further into the house, Alec stopped and turned to Donna, stopping her in front of him.

“You say you’ve been keeping updated on the news reports about us, right?” Alec asked. Donna nodded in reply. “Which means you saw the report on that the mutant that was on the run the other week? The one they’re still lookin’ for.” Donna went to nod again, but understood what he was trying to say.

“Oh,” she began. “You’re trying tell me the wolf man is who’s behind that door?”

“Precisely,” Alec said.

“Which makes you one of the one’s they said helped him escape all the cops and military round the street?”

“Right again. The fact I’m trying to get to is that you don’t believe in anything the news said, do you? More specifically about that Annie girl.”

“That. At the time I wasn’t sure, but now…. Well, if you trust him, I guess I can’t really believe the news. We’ve already established I trust you.” When Donna smiled, Alec smiled back, motioning her to follow him.

Alec walking ahead, he found Joshua in the living room sat surround by all his paintings of Annie. Her death had really hit him hard. He just wasn’t the same Joshua he had been when he had first got out of Manticore. His happy-go-lucky attitude had totally vanished. Now a days, you hardly got a word out of him. Alec couldn’t help but think that maybe Donna could help with that. Maybe if Joshua had someone other than him or Max he could have around, he might cheer up a little.

Joshua turned to Alec the minute he stepped into view, his eyes going wide as he saw the new guest behind him, jumping to his feet. Alec caught a glimpse of the same expression on Donna’s face, but she hid it well. It only flashed for a second.

“Josh, buddy, this is Donna. Donna, Josh,” Alec introduced, watching the reactions of his two friends. Donna smiled brightly at him, but remained by Alec’s side, still a little unsure about being here. Joshua kept his wide eyes on Donna, turning away after a minute to stare at Alec.

“But… Max. Max said upstairs people… running, screaming… they….”

“Don’t understand,” Alec interrupted. “Yeah, I remember. But Donna’s different. She’s knows about us. It’s ok.” Joshua turned back to Donna as if for confirmation.

“The boys right,” Donna said, the smile still on her face. “No running or screaming. I’m still here right.” Donna finally moved from Alec’s side, making her way further into the room.

“So… nice to meet you, Joshua,” Donna said, stepping right in front of him. Joshua again turned wide eyes to Alec. Alec simply smiled at him, and that was enough for the dog man.

“Welcome to my home,” he said, smiling widely, although somewhat falsely, at her as he turned and headed back to his chair.

With his attention away from her, Donna turned to look at Alec over her shoulder, a slightly worried look on her face although she tried to hide it. Laughing slightly, Alec walked up to Donna placing a hand gently on her hip and guiding her into the living room.

“You’ll be fine,” he whispered in her ear. Still guiding her, Alec sat Donna on a chair between himself and Joshua, sitting down himself.

“So, what you been up to, big man?” Alec said, trying to keep the conversation as normal as he could.

“Just reading,” Joshua said, glancing down at the book by his side. “Nothing else to do.”

“I know the feeling,” Alec said, his eyes flicking to Donna who own eyes were wondering round the apartment. “Something caught your eyes?” he asked.

“Yeah. The paintings. You do them?” she asked Joshua. He simply nodded. “They’re good,” she finished.

“You like my paintings?” Joshua asked.

“Yeah. You got talent, boy,” Donna said with a smile, feeling suddenly at ease.

Joshua smiled back then, a genuine smile. The first time Alec had seen him do that in days. In seemed Donna really did have that kind of effect on the whole transgenic community. With Donna’s attention still exploring round the house, Alec caught Joshua’s eyes, grabbing the dog-man’s attention.

‘Well,’ he mouthed to him, motioning towards Donna. Understanding what he meant, Joshua nodded, smiling brightly. A smile of his own flew across Alec’s lips. Her attention back on the others in the room, Donna couldn’t help but notice the wide smiles on both their faces.

“What?” she asked, her voice slightly nervous.

“Nothing,” Alec said.

“Yeah right,” Donna said. “You know, trust only goes so far, boys.”

“That’s actually something I wanted to talk to you about properly,” Alec said. “We never really got a chance last night.”

“Let me guess,” Donna said. “You wanna know if there’s anything really behind the trust I have for you guys.” At Alec’s small nod, Donna answered his question.

“The answers exactly the same as what I said last night. I don’t judge before I know. When I was growing up, people did that a lot with me and my family. There were a lot of people who didn’t like me just on the basis of what my dad did for a living. I always swore to myself I would never do that.”

“Yeah, but that still doesn’t give a good enough explanation on why you would trust us after everything you know about us,” Alec said.

“You know,” Donna said, turning to him with a small smile. “It sounds to me like you don’t want me to trust you, Alec.”

“No, it’s not that, it’s just….” Alec stuttered out. At the sound of Donna’s laughter, he smiled himself, slowing his voice down. “I just meant, after everything the papers said, why trust us?”

“Because papers lie,” Donna said simply. “Everybody knows that.”

Alec didn’t push it any further. Donna trusted him and his kind, and that was enough for him. And Alec had been right about her being good for Joshua. The three spent a good thirty minutes sat together happily, talking about whatever came up. And so far, Alec had seen Joshua smile so many times, the loveable version of his old self back again. Their conversations were only interrupted by the click of the door opening.

“Hey, Big Fella,” Max’s voice called from the hallway. “You seen Alec?”

“In here,” Alec called back. Max stepped into the room, the words she wanted to say caught on her lips as she saw Donna. A reaction she seemed to get a lot today.

“Hi,” Donna said with a nervous smile. “It’s Max, right?”

“Alec,” Max said without answering her. Alec rolled his eyes, wondering why people seemed to turn to him for answers today.

“Max, think,” Alec said, knowing exactly what Max was thinking. “Donna is sat, quite happily I might add, next to Joshua. Now it’s not very hard to hide what that boy is. Put two and two together, Max.”

“She knows,” Max said simply.

“Bingo,” Alec said.

“You told her,” Max said, looking somewhat annoyed at that fact.

“Why would you immediately run to the fact that I spilled our secret?” Alec said, standing in front of her.

“Because this is you, Alec. Anything to impress a girl.”

“Yeah, telling a girl I was made in a test tube is really gonna impress much. You try telling a guy some time. See how he takes it.”

“Err… excuse me,” Donna said, trying to make herself heard. But these two weren’t finished.

“Alec, how the hell else is the girl gonna find out. You know, why don’t you just put a banner out there telling White just where you are.”

“You think she’s a spy, gonna go off and tell White where I am?”

“She might be. Do you know she’s not?”

“She’s not! And hey, it wasn’t such a problem when you told OC!”

“Manticore put her life in danger! I had to tell her!”

“HEY!” Donna screamed, jumping to her feet and knocking them quiet as they turned to her.

“Good,” she said, her voice calm now. “So I’m gonna start from the beginning. Alec did not tell me, I found out. The moves that boy pulls in a fight are far from normal. And I am not about to go tell White where Alec is. Not after the guy tried to grab me. So my life was in danger, and Alec saved me.”

Donna stood in the middle of the room, all to aware of the three different pairs of eyes that were now on her. It was a second before the shock of her outburst had wore of and anyone spoke.

“You were attacked by White?” Max said calmly, letting Donna know she could breath finally.

“His Familiars, actually,” Alec said. “Logan was right. They tried to grab Donna from Crash. I gotta say, she did hold up her own pretty well.”

“You mean you got in a fight with a group of Familiars and are came out unscathed,” Max said.

“Pretty much,” Donna said, rubbing her hand across her bandages shoulder.

“You gotta teach me how to do that some time,” Max said with a guilty smile. Donna smiled back, her smile a little brighter. “Look, I’m sorry about back then, but I’m not used to people just accepting us without having something in it for them.”

“No problem,” Donna said, her eyes quickly flicking to Alec and thinking just what was in this whole deal for her.

“Anyway, Alec, this whole deal with White is actually what I wanted to talk to you about,” Max said, turning her attention to Alec. “He thinks he might have an idea where White is set up. Thought you might wanna know.”

“You bet,” Alec said, with a smile. “I’ll be right out.” Nodding at Alec and flashing a grin at Donna, Max left.

“Alec,” Donna said, stepping up to him as he was about to follow her. “Is it ok… I mean will I be ok….” She pointed to the floor, asking if she was ok staying where she was.

Laughing slightly, Alec held her round the waist, hugging her slightly. It wasn’t very often Alec hugged Donna for no reason, so she gratefully returned the hug, wrapping her arms round his neck.

“You’ll be fine here,” Alec whispered into her ear. “I’ll see you later tonight,” he finished, pulling back from her and leaving the house. Donna stood there, listening to the door click closed and knowing he had left.

“You like Alec,” Joshua said suddenly, reminding her that he was still here.

“Yeah, he’s a good guy. Who wouldn’t,” Donna said, turning back into the room and taking her seat again.

“Little Fella not used to having people understand her,” Joshua said.

“Little Fel….” Donna began before she understood. “Max. No, I guess she isn’t. Alec either. Hence the countless questions.”

“People like you, upstairs people, they don’t like us. Don’t trust us.”

“They just don’t understand.”

“Scared of what they don’t know,” Joshua said, repeating what Max had told him over and over. “You not scared?”

“No, I’m not.”

“Why?”

“So now you’re starting with the questions,” Donna said with a smile. When Joshua just continued to stare at her, Donna decided to just answer his question. “I have been sat here for a good 30 minutes with the person the papers are calling a monster. And the so called monster hasn’t laid a finger on me. Not even a growl. I know I have no reason to be scared around you.”

“You not like other people,” Joshua said with a smile.

“I get told that a lot.”

“Not like us either,” Joshua said, his smile turning a little sad.

“No. But I am in your side. I’m sitting right in the middle of my people and yours. You ok with that?”

Joshua answered her question with a smile and a nod. Donna smiled back, a small laugh leaving her lips. She sat back in the chair, getting comfortable. She’s was ok here. She’s was safe here. And more importantly, she was happy here.


	5. Chapter Five

What a waste of time! Alec thought as he arrived back at his apartment. The location Logan had gave them had indeed been one of White’s bases, but the guy had up and left by the time he and Max had got there. White was moving about a lot more now, since they had found his base to save that mermaid chick. Didn’t want to risk being found again. Heavens forbid anyone would try and stop him from killing the so called freaks!

Slumping down into his regular chair, Alec switched on the TV and left in on the news report now showing.

“And in other news,” The pretty dark haired reporter was saying. “Robert Berrisford, ex-CEO of Mercidyne, who recently buried his young daughter Rachel after a two year coma, has….”

Alec quickly switched the TV off after a picture of Rachel blared on the screen, staring blankly at the now dark TV screen. It was like she was haunting him. It was only a couple of weeks ago when the memories had all come flooding back after that Jam Pony delivery he and Max ad gone on. When Berrisford himself had tried, and failed, to kill him. Now, the minute he turned the TV on, here was a news report about her.

Alec flung the TV remote aggressively onto the table and moved to his kitchen, looking for any kind of drink he might have in his cupboard. He’d done the same thing back then. After telling Max he was all right, turning down her offer to talk, he had instead attempted to drown his sorrows in a glass or two… or more, of Scotch. That was actually the night he met Donna. There was an old saying he had learnt back in Com-Verbal usage. ‘When one door closes, a window opens’. That kinda described Donna. Just after everything that had happened with Rachel again, she came into his life.

Sitting back down with a glass and the bottle of pre-pulse Scotch he had found in the back of one of the cupboards, Alec collapsed back into the chair. Alec had a lot of useful connections around the city. It came in handy when they could get him things like this. Alec poured himself a glass and downed it quickly, trying his best to block out his thoughts.

As the warm liquid slid down his throat, Alec felt… nothing. As usual, alcohol wasn’t working. Memories of Rachel that he just didn’t want back were still running through his mind. Instead, he tried to get his mind to focus on the night after that. On Donna.

His focus was lost when a gentle knocking on the door brought his mind back to reality. To the here and now. Stepping up to his door, Alec opened it to find the girl he had been trying to think of, Donna, on the opposite side, smiling widely. The word ‘coincidence’ sprung to mind.

“Hey Donna,” he said, forcing a smile. “What are you doing here?”

“I was getting bored at Crash. There’s no one fun there,” she said, her smile still staying strong.

“Right. Well, now really isn’t a good time for me. Sorry.” While Alec tried his best to give her a charming smile. Donna just stared at him.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked.

“No reason. That’s just the first time you’ve opted to be alone. You all right?”

“I’m always all right,” Alec reeled off his trademark line, but anyone could see there was no truth behind it. Including Donna when her eyes caught sight of the half empty Scotch bottle.

“Ok. But when you finally admit you need to talk to someone, you know where I am.” Donna smiled once more at Alec and made to leave.

Alec couldn’t help but think how much Donna knew him. Cared for him even. The ‘I’m-Always-All-Right’ line usually made people back down. But not Donna. She was still trying to get it out of him.

“Donna,” Alec said with a sigh, causing her to turn back to him. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I do need someone to talk to.”

Smiling, Donna stepped back into the apartment.

@~~>~~~

Donna sat and listened while Alec told her everything. About back at Manticore when he had been a true blue soldier. About all his missions. About Rachel and how he had felt for her. And about the torture he had been put through. And with each word, Donna felt more for Alec. Understood more about why he was the way he was.

“This was all two years ago,” Alec said. “I thought I was over it. But going back to that house, seeing the news report…. It all came flooding back.”

“This is your past Alec, good or bad,” Donna said, finally speaking. “No matter what, it will always stay with you. You might think you forget, but it’s still there buried somewhere. Trust me, I know. You just have to learn to live with all the things you’ve done.”

“How? How can I learn to live with some of the things I’ve done?”

“I know one thing. That’s not gonna help,” Donna said, motioning to the Scotch bottle.

“You’re right it’s not. I can’t get drunk,” Alec said. Donna just stared at him, wondering what the hell he meant. “My body temperature is three degrees higher than yours. It means….” Alec began to explain.

“You know what, I don’t really need to know,” Donna interrupted. “You and your genetic differences kinda confuse me. The point I was gonna make is, you can learn to live with anything if you really want to.”

“No. You don’t know all of the things they made me do. Things I did willingly.”

“I know enough,” Donna said, sighing before she went on. “Alec, I’m not gonna lie to you. Hearing about some of the things you’ve done, it scared me. Just knowing what you’re capable of. But then I think about the guy I know. The guy sat in front of me right now. And he is nothing like the guy you told me about. He would never do half of those things. And that’s what’s important. The person you are now. The person you wanna be.”

Alec looked up at Donna and really smiled for the first time tonight.

“You came her looking for a laugh,” Alec said. “Not me and my problems.”

“Hey, what are friends for?” Donna said with a small smile.

Alec smiled back again as he stared at her. And in one quick motion, he leaned forward and pulled her to him, kissing her. As much as Donna would have loved to just let loose and kiss him back, she couldn’t. Not now. So she pushed back.

“Alec, I really don’t think this is a good idea right now,” Donna said. Alec simply stared. “I better go. Goodnight Alec.” Donna kissed Alec gently before she made a quick exit.

@~~>~~~

When Donna got back to her apartment, one thing was going through her mind.

You idiot! You God damn idiot!

Why? Why in the name of everything that was right and sane had she pushed him away? Why had she run? Alec, her perfect guy, had just kissed her. There was no doubt in her mind that she had been attracted to him from the moment they had met. He was a gorgeous guy, what girl wouldn’t. And underneath his good looks was an amazing guy. Funny, sweet, charming, kind. Exactly what Donna looked for in a guy. Yet tonight, even when everything in her body had told her to stay where she was and just give in, she ran.

Despite all her inner questions, Donna knew somewhere in her mind exactly why she ran. The way Alec had been feeling when she had walked through that door, she just couldn’t be 100 sure if his emotions were in the right place when he kissed her. She wanted that from him, more than anything. But she wanted to be sure he wanted it to.

Collapsing onto her bed, Donna closed her eyes. Which was a big mistake. The minute she did, she could feel Alec’s lips against hers again. She sighed heavily, snapping her eyes open. The sensations still tingling against her lips, now all she could think was that she had made a mistake. She cared about Alec, and somewhere deep down she knew he cared about her. Maybe his emotions had been in check. Maybe he really had wanted to kiss her.

Donna was pulled out of her thoughts by the heavy knocking on her door. Sighing again and lifting herself off her bed, she swung the door open and came face to face with Alec. He had to have left his apartment seconds after she did.

“Can I come in?” he said simply. Not really able to speak right now, Donna swept to the side, letting him in and closing the door behind him.

“Look, Donna, I came to apologise. I know I shouldn’t have….” But the big speech Alec had made himself memorise on the way over was cut short as he turned to Donna. She was facing him again, an odd look in her eyes that Alec had never seen on her before. “Donna, what?” Alec said as she continued to stare.

Then, without a word or any kind of warning, Donna darted forward, grabbing Alec’s collar and pulling him towards her in a deep kiss. It only took a second for Alec to get over the shock and wrap his arms round her, pulling her closer and losing himself in her kiss.

When Donna had pushed away from him before, Alec had been a little shocked and scared. He’d seriously thought he had pushed what they had a little too far over the edge to somewhere Donna didn’t want to go. Which is why, the minute she had left his apartment, he had followed. To apologise. But now…. It was safe to say his fears had been totally unjustified as the kiss intensified. Yet he was the one to pull away first.

“Ok, have I told you, you are a totally mystery, girl,” Alec said, smiling at her as he held her face gently in his hands.

“I thought that was your department,” Donna said with a small laugh, closing her eyes against the feel of his touch.

“I mean, one minute you push me away, the next you pounce on me.”

“Girls are strange like that, Alec. It’s a little thing called mood swings. That’s ok with you right now, isn’t it?” Donna said with a sly smile, hooking her finger in Alec’s jeans and pulling him towards her bedroom.

“I’m really not complaining,” Alec said with a sly smile of his own, following her oh so willingly.


	6. Chapter Six

Alec woke next morning, still in Donna’s apartment and her curled neatly at his side, still sound asleep. He smiled down at her, tracing a finger softly down her cheek. She stirred slightly, smiling in her sleep and cuddling closer to his body. Alec smiled wider, inwardly pleased at the effects a simple touch seemed to have on her.

This time, as he let his hand run slowly up and down her arm, her eyes fluttered open, goose bumps rising on her skin where he touched her.

“Morning,” she said, smiling up at him as her eyes found his.

“Morning,” he replied, leaning down and kissing her sweetly. Donna smiled again, wrapping an arm round Alec’s waist and sinking deeper into his embrace.

“Something wrong?” he asked as he ran a hand softly through her hair.

“No,” she answered with a small laugh. “Trust me when I say, everything is just fine.”

“Good,” he replied, kissing the top of her head. Sighing with a small laugh, Donna stretched across Alec’s body, picking up her watch from the table on his side. Looking at the time, she grumbled slightly as she moved to slide off the bed. But Alec’s tightened grip round her waist stopped her, keeping her close to his side.

“Alec, loosen the grip,” Donna said through a laugh.

“Why? I let go, you move,” Alec said with a sly smile.

“Exactly.”

“Now why would I let you do that? More to the point, why would you want to?”

“Because I am not the kind of girl who lies in bed all day,” she said with a smile. “Even if I am lying with to you.”

Kissing him gently, Donna finally slipped out of the bed, taking the sheet with her and grabbing her robe on the way out. A few seconds later, the sheet was thrown back into the room, with a perfect aim at Alec considering only her arm stretched round the door.

Alec laughed slightly as he detangled himself from the sheet he was now wrapped in and climbed out of the bed himself. Pulling his jeans on, Alec couldn’t help but think how amazingly ‘normal’ his life was right now. This was the kind of life Max always said she wanted, and for the first time Alec could see what the appeal was. Being able to wake up in the morning, not alone, and without any fears or worries about what terror life might throw his way today. He had to admit, it wasn’t a bad way to live.

He smiled again as his advanced hearing picked up the sound of cups moving, water running… and a soft voice humming gently. Donna was in the kitchen, more than likely making her morning coffee, and humming softly to herself. Even someone born and breed inside a government facility for most of his life knew that humming was a sign of happiness. It appeared, thankfully, that his feelings were mutual. Or at least that was what he hoped.

Standing to grab his shirt, Alec’s eyes caught sight of a picture on the back dresser. Four people dominated the picture. A young girl, no older than seven or eight, stood in the front with a wide smile. Her red ringlets and piercing green eyes told Alec this had to be Donna. A young boy of around ten stood next to her, holding the little girl, a wide smile matching her plastered on his features. The arms wrapped round both of them belonged to a smiling woman who looked to be in her late thirties, early forties, while a man a little older, his smiling looking a little less natural that the rest of the pictures occupants, knelt beside the two. Donna and her family.

This picture abruptly took away his no fears and worry attitude… and he was glad for the distraction of a light trilling sound in his ears coming from the other room.

“Alec, your pager!” Donna’s voice called from the kitchen, but Alec already knew what it was. Throwing his shirt on, Alec walked into the main room, where his jacket was, to check the number.

“Normal,” Alec said simply, telling Donna who it was before she asked. Although when he looked up at her, the fact he had never mentioned anyone called ‘Normal’ sprung to mind at the look on her face.

“My boss,” he continued. “I’m already almost an hour late. Which means I gotta go before I get fired. Sorry. But I’ll see you later.”

Doing his usual escape technique, Alec gave Donna a quick kiss before darting from the apartment. Staring after him, Donna kept thinking that at least this time it had been a proper kiss and not a quick peck on the cheek. And this time he wasn’t running off with Max.

@~~>~~~

After work, Alec went straight back to his place, reluctantly having to avoid Donna right now. It had indeed been Normal paging him this morning, asking where his Golden Boy was. That wasn’t a lie. Although, the getting fired thing might have been. Alec had a feeling that, no matter how many times he walked through that door later, Normal would never can his ass. He had too much of a liking for it.

Shuddering against the thought, Alec flung his jacket across the room just as his cell phone stopped ringing. It had been Donna, for about the fifth time today, and he hated ignoring her, but he had to. The countless phone calls, and one concerned sounding message, told him she was worried about him not talking to her. He couldn’t believe himself that he was doing it, but he didn’t want her asking questions right now.

Alec laughed to himself at the irony of the situation. This morning, he was thinking how much better his life was with Donna. Now, just when he’d got her, he was in avertedly pushing her away. His mind, his heart, every part of his body was telling him how utterly ridiculous he was being. He felt for the girl, she clearly felt something for him, but he was doing everything not to be with her.

He knew exactly what she’d think of him know. She’d figure that last night was just a one-night stand. The kind of thing he usually did with girls. He was, after all, the love ‘em and leave ‘em type. But not when it came to Donna. She was someone he really cared about. But he also knew, no matter how much about his life she did understand, there was one thing she could never understand. Something she could never forgive him for.

Leaning heavily against the wall of his empty apartment, his mind lost to thoughts, Alec almost didn’t hear the knocking on his door. But his transgenic hearing picked up on it and he opened the door to find Donna on the other side, cell phone in hand.

“You know, you might wanna consider answer your phone once in a while,” she said as she strode past him and into the apartment.

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Alec said, closing the door behind her. “Been over run at work today.” A lie, but it was good enough to keep Donna from asking too many questions right now. Avoiding her was one thing, but he didn’t want to lose her. She had come here, out of her own accord, and he wasn’t about to turn her away.

“Right,” Donna said, sitting on his couch and turning to him with a wide smile that made him think she was after something.

“What?” he asked. In answer, Donna continued to smile and patted the seat beside her. Taking the hint, Alec took the seat beside her, keeping eye contact.

“What do you want?” he asked innocently.

“First, I want to do this,” she said as she leaned forward and kissed him, gently but passionately. She pulled back and she was still smiling. “Second, I want to talk. Properly,” she said, as she leant towards him, head resting on his shoulder.

“What about?” he asked as he slung his arm round her shoulders casually.

“You, actually. This is gonna sound weird after last night, but I, err…. I just figured I don’t really know all that much about you. The real you.”

“The real me?”

“Yeah. I mean, when we first met, I thought you were just your everyday average guy. But now I know you’re not. You’re different. Special even. That’s the you I want to know. The real person.” Alec smiled slightly at this, wondering just what he was gonna say when she started asking questions. There were a lot of things about his life he just didn’t like discussing.

“So, what exactly do you want to know?” he asked against his better judgement.

“Well, you told me all about your history and childhood back at that place, Manticore. So what about after, when you got free into the world. What about then?”

“There’s not much to tell about that. Me and a lot of the others out there were forced out into the world when Max burnt down our old home. So now, with me, it’s pretty much what you see is what you get.”

“So, this whole being out in the real world deal wasn’t your idea? It was just something that happened to you.”

“Pretty much.”

“Ok. That explains a lot.”

“What do you mean by that?” Alec asked, pulling away from her slightly to look into her face properly.

“I didn’t mean that as a bad thing. It’s just… like I said, you’re not like other people. Even without the whole transgenic deal, you’re different. The way you talk, the way you act. There are times when you can tell you’re learning about the world for the first time. Seeing everything new. I mean, I’m not saying you don’t know about the world. Your cocky and arrogant attitude helps that a bit.” Alec smiled down at her, not sure which way to take what she was saying.

“I repeat, it’s not a bad thing,” Donna said, seeing that little bit of uncertainty in his smile about what she was saying. “In fact, I think it’s one of the things I like best about you. That little bit of innocence you try so well to hide. You told me all that stuff the other night, about some of the jobs Manticore made you do. And I think it’s amazing that after all that, you still turned out like you did. A pretty cool guy who’s gotta a pretty stable hold on real life. Someone who, despite everything they’ve been through, still managed to turn into a good guy who I really love being around.”

Alec smiled as he hugged Donna closer to his body, noticing now more than ever just how much of an insight Donna had to him. She knew him better that anyone. Max always told him she had him pegged, but with Donna it was different. Max saw what was on the outside, Donna looked deeper. She had a wonderful ability to look right into his soul and see everything he spent all his time trying to hide.

“That was kinda deep, you know,” Alec said, laughing everything she said off a little.

“Yeah, but true,” Donna replied, shifting slightly in his arms to get a more comfortable position. “But I haven’t finished with the questioning yet.”

“I figured that,” Alec said, glad she wasn’t looking his way as his smile dropped slightly. “Ask away,” he said in spite of himself.

“Well, I know who you are now. The person I wanna know about is the one who grew up in that Government facility.”

“Why? That guy died the minute ‘Alec’ was born,” Alec said, using words Max had occasionally told him in those rare moments she was being nice to him, and he felt like his Manticore persona was taking over his life in a way he didn’t want it to.

“I know, but he was such a big part of what made you, you,” she said persistently. She looked up then, into Alec’s eyes, and the words that were on the edge of her lips stayed there. One look at the emotion hidden behind those beautiful golden-green pools and Donna knew she had hit a sore point.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly, apologising before Alec gave her reason to. “I know you don’t like talking about what they did to you. Hell, it took a while to get it out of you last time. I just guess sometimes, when I feel like I don’t really know who you are, I think that maybe knowing about that part of your life will tell me more. I feel like there’s such a large part of your life I know nothing about. The part Max knows so well, and sometimes I wanna know you like that too.”

“You don’t need to,” he said, a smile playing at the corner of his lips. “Right here and now, this is the part of my life I wanna be in. And I’m glad this is the part you’re in.”

Alec watched Donna smile, and he couldn’t help but wonder if the words he had said tonight were for her or him. Somewhere in the back of his mind, there was a little voice telling him that if he separated the two lives like he was doing now, he could really make himself believe that it was a totally different person who did all those things as young kid. That way, he could forget easier. Live the life he wanted to without the horrors of his past haunting him.

But no matter what, your past always stays with you. Donna had told him that.

“Do you ever wonder,” Donna said, knocking him out of his thoughts. “What kind of life you would have had if you’d had a different childhood? What parts of your life would be different?”

“What, you mean if I had the whole perfect family deal?” Alec said with his trademark sly smile. “Parents, proper siblings, maybe even a dog.” For a minute, Alec thought on the answer.

“Sometimes,” he answered honestly, recalling dreams from his childhood. Wishful thinking of what his family would have been like if he’d had the chance to have one. “I guess most of us transgenics do.”

“Me too,” Donna said, cuddling back against his chest. “I think how different my life would have been if my father had tried.” She sighed deeply, her memories of her childhood painful like Alec’s were of his.

“When I was young, I used to dream about what it would be like to have a normal family life. You know, just like you said. Both parents, a couple of brothers or sisters. Only I’d have a cat. I’m allergic to dogs.” Donna laughed slightly, and Alec couldn’t help but smile himself.

“There was a small cottage up in the country we went to sometimes when I was really small. I loved it up there. It was the one time when the only thing on my dads mind wasn’t work. We were actually a family. But you know something? I never really saw it then, but despite the fact that work wasn’t in the road, my dad still seemed distant. Like he didn’t want to be up there with me and my mum. I guess the truth was that he didn’t. Like I said, my dad never tried. He had tons of chances to, but….” Donna paused slightly, trying to push back her tears.

“There was another dream I had, when I was a little older. After my dad was killed. It went along the lines of how my dad suddenly realised what he was doing. He saw that he was slowly losing his family, and he tried harder. Did everything he could to be with us. But even if that was the fact, he never got the chance to make that happen. I was 17 when my dad died, old enough to know exactly what he was doing to our family. But that didn’t stop me loving him. He was, after all, my dad. But there is still one thing I’ll never forgive him for.”

“What?” Alec asked carefully, speaking up for the first time in a while.

“That night, the night of the explosion, my dad wasn’t the only one in his factory. He took my brother along with him. Jason was two years older than me and he wanted to be a journalist, but dad wouldn’t have it. He was insistent that he carry on in his fathers footsteps. So he took him to work with him that day, and I lost my brother. The only person in my family I cared about who gave a damn about me.”

Donna gave in, the tears slowly and quietly leaking down her cheeks. And Alec heard the quiet whimper that left her lips before the tears fell. And as he did, Donna felt his body tense below her.

“What’s wrong?” Donna asking, wiping away her tears as she pulled away slightly to look up at him.

“Nothing,” he said, forcing a smile.

“Alec, you can’t lie to me.”

“It’s nothing that you need to worry about right now.”

“But it is something.” Sighing, Alec pushed Donna’s body slightly away from him, standing from the couch and turning his back on her. “Alec, what’s wrong?” Donna repeated, staying seated. Sighing again, Alec turned back to her, leaning against his kitchen counter.

“Whoever killed your dad and brother,” he said slowly. “Do you still blame them, want revenge?”

“Alec, why are you….” Donna began.

“I just need to know, Donna,” Alec interrupted. “Please.”

“Yes,” Donna said simply. “Not for my dad, but for my brother, as bad as that sounds. He had the best part of his life ahead of him. What happened to my dad happened because of what he did, but not my brother. He was innocent.”

“So if you knew who it was, what really happened, you’d want revenge for your brother?”

“Alec, you’re confusing me right now. What are you trying to say?” Alec took a deep breath before he said what he had to next.

“You were right,” he began. “Your dad worked for Manticore. He was one of the scientists who had a lot to do with what went into our DNA. But he wanted out. Didn’t like what the government was doing to what he simply saw as kids. He even threatened to have them shut down. And when someone does that….”

“What, Alec?” Donna said when he trailed off, needing him to finish what she already had a slight idea he was going to say.

“If someone became a threat to the project, they were killed. One of the X5’s were usually sent out on the job, and….”

“And you know who was sent out,” Donna finished for him.

“Yes,” Alec said simply.

“Who?” Donna almost demanded, jumping to her feet and standing in front of him.

“Are you sure you want to know?” Alec asked.

“I need to know. I need to know who killed my brother and broke my family apart. I need to know what really happened.”

For a minute, Alec said nothing. He kept his gaze down, not strong enough to look Donna in the eyes when he told her the truth. Hoping that maybe if he said nothing, Donna would say nothing. She wouldn’t ask again. But she did.

“Who was the X5 who killed my father and brother, Alec?” Donna asked adamantly, and Alec had to tell her the truth.

“Me.”


	7. Chapter Seven

Donna was speechless. When she had insisted Alec tell her about her father’s killer, that hadn’t been the answer she had expected. But when her mind kicked up to working back on a normal level, she wondered why she hadn’t thought that. Alec had been off with her all day, running out of her apartment and ignoring her calls. All day, her worst fear was that she had turned into one of the many girls she saw throw themselves at Alec every night in Crash. That she was just a one night stand he wanted to forget. What he had just told her had not even entered her mind once. Why should it?

“You?” Donna said once she found her voice.

“Yes,” Alec said, doing what he thought was the decent thing and not looking at Donna. “Look, I need to explain….”

“No, Alec,” Donna called over him, holding up her hands. “I just wanna get this straight in my head before you do any explaining.” Donna took a deep breath to compose herself.

“You have sat here for the past couple of minutes, and days for that matter, and let me spill everything to you about my father, my brother, and how much their deaths screwed up my life. And now, of all times, you decide to tell me that all that was because of you. I just have one question Alec. Why?”

“Donna, I would have told you sooner if I….”

“I’m not talking about when you told me Alec,” Donna said, cutting him off again. “I’m talking about why you even told me at all. You heard what I just said about my lingering feelings towards the person who wrecked my family, and you know I meant it. So why tell me at all? It’s not like I ever would have found out, there was no evidence. What, is this like some self defence mechanism? Your way of getting out of a relationship when you can’t see any other way.”

“That is not what I’m trying to do here, Donna,” Alec said, able to get out a full sentence. “You said yourself you had a right to know. Needed to know. I thought I was doing the right thing telling you.”

“The right thing? Alec, this is you were talking about. Us even. Telling me you killed my father and brother was so far from the right thing to do if you really want me to stick around.”

“That is not what I want. I just….”

“How do you know?” Donna said suddenly.

“What?” Alec asked.

“How do you know you killed my dad and my brother? Kross is my mother’s maiden name, and her and my father never married. How can you be sure it was really my family?”

“The picture, on your dresser. I saw it this morning when you went to make coffee.” Donna echoed out a small burst of laughter at this statement.

“Of course. I should have known. Everything was fine until you walked out of that room. That’s when you ran off, as usual, and started avoiding my calls. Alec, why didn’t you tell me sooner? Why didn’t you answer my calls or tell me the minute I walked through that door?”

“I wasn’t about to tell you something like this over the phone. And when you walked in that door…. I didn’t know what to say. I just wanted to keep you here a little longer.” Again, Donna laughed.

“That’s just great, Alec,” Donna said, the laughter turning choked as tears welled up behind her eyes. “You thought you wouldn’t tell me something this important because you selfishly wanted to keep me here that little bit longer.”

“Donna, that’s not….” Alec reached out his hand to touch her, but she shied away like he was something dirty.

“Don’t touch me,” Donna said, battling against her tears. “Just… don’t touch me.”

“Donna, you have to believe me, the last thing I wanted to do was hurt you.”

“Then I repeat, why tell me at all!” Donna screamed out, using anger to push back her tears. “You knew how much I hated what was done to my family. Not because of my father, but for my brother. I even told you tonight, when you asked, that I would get revenge if the opportunity arose. So….”

“Fine,” Alec said, cutting Donna off this time and spreading his arms. “Here I am, so you can take your revenge. Do what you want, I don’t care. Just as long as you feel better, and I really mean that.”

For a long, moment, Donna thought about just that. Taking her revenge on Alec. For her whole life, all she had wanted deep down was to avenge her brother, even if it didn’t show on the surface. But now, when the opportunity actually presented itself, she just couldn’t do it.

“Alec, don’t do this,” Donna said finally, the tears she had been battling beginning to fall. “This is you Alec. It’s you and I….” Donna trailed off, unsure of what she really wanted to say next.

“What?” Alec asked, forcing her to at least consider the answer in her mind.

“It’s just you, Alec, and I can’t. No matter what,” Donna said, choosing the easy option and turning her back on him.

“Donna, you have to know how truly sorry I am,” Alec said, stepping forward and letting his hands rest against her shoulders.

“Don’t touch me!” Donna screamed, spinning out of his hold. Turning to him, she saw the hurt in his eyes, but she ignored it. Right now, she didn’t think he had the right to feel hurt by what she was doing. “Don’t be standing there waiting for me to forgive you Alec, because that is not gonna happen right now. I don’t care if it is you, and you did it in your good old days as a true blue Manticore soldier. You stilled killed someone I cared about. Someone I loved. And right now, what I feel for them trumps anything that I might feel for you.”

“I don’t expect you to forgive me. I just expect you to hear me out.”

“So you can what? Give me some other stupid excuse. Blame this on my father and brother.”

“No, so you can at least hear what I have to say.” Donna stayed quiet this time, and Alec took that as a sign for him to continue.

“You’re right. There’s no excuse for what I did, even if it was all thanks to Manticore. But you gotta know, I didn’t know any better back then. Following orders, going through with my assignments, that was all I knew. I didn’t know he had family, had kids. And I didn’t know that I was gonna meet you and all this was gonna come back and bite me in the ass all over again.”

“So that makes it right, does it?” Donna said, her tears still falling slowly. “The fact that you were just following orders and didn’t know any better makes this ok?”

“No, that is not what I’m trying to say,” Alec said. “I just want you to understand the real reasons behind what I did.”

“I want to Alec. I really do. I mean, me and you work so well together, friends or more. I never wanted to lose that. But then again, I never thought I’d find out anything like this.”

“I know, Donna. I know better than you think, you have to trust me on that.”

“Why Alec, because of Rachel?” Donna saw the reaction and emotion in Alec’s eyes, but she still didn’t stop.

“That was entirely different Alec. You may have cared for her, yes, but Manticore killed her, and you were part of Manticore. Despite how bad you felt, how you tried to warn her and the torture you were put through because of it, you being in her life was still the real reason that brought about her death.”

Donna knew her words were hurtful, but she couldn’t think of that right now. Right now, her mind was too concerned with all the new information it was still trying to process. She had finally found out who had killed her father and brother, and it turned out to be someone she cared about. That, right now, was causing her more pain than anything else.

Alec heard her words and the tone in her voice, and he couldn’t help but immediately turned to his defensive attitude.

“Donna, when I took the assignment on your father, I was true Manticore. I didn’t ask questions. I didn’t know he had a family, and that I was breaking up a home. I just did what I was told. I didn’t know anything about him, and I didn’t care. He could have been anyone. The fact he turned out to be your father is just a very bad coincidence. I did my job, plain and simple. I didn’t….”

Alec was cut off at the feel of a sharp slap to the side of his face, Donna’s hand connecting with his jaw. He turned back to her, and the look in her eyes made his heart stop. Behind those beautiful, watery green orbs was true hurt, her pain and anger showing even as her lip quivered and she cried full out.

“If you were trying to make me feel even less for you Alec, congratulations. You just did it,” Donna said, keeping her voice strong even as she broke down. “I don’t care if it was all you know or if it was your job. Killing someone I love is not something I easily forgive. It’s not something I hear every day, and it is not the norm. One day, I hope you figure that out, despite your past.”

Before she could break completely in front of Alec, give him the chance to charm her, Donna swept past him, heading for the door. But Alec didn’t seem to be finished just yet.

“Donna, I’m sorry, I just….” Alec said, again reaching for her arm. And again Donna pulled out of his grip, turning to him with a sharp glare as she swung his door open.

“No Alec. This conversation is over.”

And she left.


	8. Chapter Eight

Donna ran swiftly from Alec’s apartment, almost tripping down the last few steps as she pretty much barrelled out of the door. The tears she had so desperately tried to hold back in front of Alec were now spilling down her cheeks.

Her legs giving up, Donna collapsed against a set of railings of a stairwell going up the side of the building. She breathed deeply, trying her best to control her emotions. But she couldn’t. No matter how definitely she tried to tell her mind to be angry, to pull herself together, it just wouldn’t seem to listen. Right now, all she felt was loss, she just didn’t quite know what for yet.

She heard the door swing open and knew all too well it was Alec following her. Taking a deep calming breath and wiping almost angrily at her tear stained cheeks, Donna pushed herself away from the railing and tried to move away quickly before Alec could see her or move to her. No such luck.

“Donna, wait. Please. We still need to talk and….”

“No we don’t!” Donna screamed, turning to him. “Like I said, Alec, this conversation is over. Along with a lot of other things apparently.”

“Look, I don’t know what you want me to say about this,” Alec said.

“You’re really not listening to me, are you,” Donna said with a small laugh. “I don’t want you to say anything. Right now, I can’t even look at you.” And she didn’t. She turned and starting walking away again.

“Donna, please, I….”

“Alec, don’t,” Donna said, stopping but not turning to him. “If you at all cared about me, you gotta let me do this.”

Donna paused for a moment, expecting Alec to try and say something else. But he didn’t, so she carried on walking. She could distantly hear the sound of footfalls as Alec walked in the opposite direction, the two now going their separate ways.

@~~>~~~

The next set of tears waited at least until Donna was back in her apartment before they fell from her eyes. She flung her discarded jacket aggressively across the room as she raced to her room, burying herself into the comfort of her mattress as she continued to cry into her pillow. It was a couple of minutes before Donna flung herself off the bed, realising just how stupid and girlish she was being. She wasn’t about to keep crying into her pillow over a guy she had spend one night, despite how great said night and been or just how much she cared about him. So right now, she tried to get herself pissed off at him instead and flung the tear stained pillow across the room, breathing heavily.

The crashing and shattering behind her brought her attention around to just where the pillow had hit. It had hit her cabinet, knocking a picture from the stand. A picture Alec had skipped over this morning. Donna knelt to the floor, taking the picture from the floor, avoiding the shards of glass. The picture happened to be one of her and Alec, taken a couple of weeks ago. She had dragged him along to one of her friend’s parties, using him as friendly support. She hadn’t wanted to go, but had been talked into it anyway. So she had needed someone there who she actually wanted to be around. Hence Alec. He had tried to make an excuse, and Donna figured now it was fear from the whole X5 deal, but she had still dragged him with her.

Looking at the picture now, she couldn’t help but smile. Alec had his arms round her, hugging her, and they were both smiling widely, laughing almost. She was truly happy in that picture. They both were. But that was back then, when all she was was a girl with one of her best friends. Back before everything had gotten complicated like it was now.

But the smile and happiness only lasted for a minute. She held the picture differently now, between her finger, ready to rip it in half. That was what girls usually did right. When someone, a guy, hurt them like Alec had hurt her, they destroy stuff that reminded them of that person. She knew that, but she couldn’t. It wasn’t like it would help at all, ripping up one of her favourite pictures. It was, after all, Alec. It would take more than ripping up pictures to get her to forget about him. Instead, she fell further to the floor, her back hitting the bed as memories and happy thoughts brought new tears to her eyes. But this time, she didn’t know why she was crying. Whether it was for the loss of her father… or the loss of Alec.

She couldn’t change the fact that she cared about Alec. She knew that nothing he ever did would make her stop caring about him. And she knew, somewhere in the back of her mind, that what had happened to her father and brother hadn’t really been Alec’s fault. Like he had said, he had after all only been following orders. And she knew he had tried so hard to redeem himself for everything that place had made him do. He had tried to redeem himself to her as well, but she hadn’t wanted to her it. She had made him feel worse, and she wasn’t sure right now whether that really had been the right way to deal with this situation. To leave Alec instead of giving him a real chance to explain things better to her. Tell her some things that she actually wanted to know right now.

So Donna sat on the floor in her room, leaning against the bed with her knees pulled tight to her chest. Her eyes were red and her throat was sore from crying, but she just didn’t know what she was more upset with. What Alec had done, or the fact he had told her.

She wanted to believe she had run from Alec, slapped him even, because she now knew more things about his military life that she wished she didn’t. But something in the back of her mind wouldn’t let her believe that. What hurt the most wasn’t what he had done. He was a soldier, and soldiers kill. That was one thing she knew for sure. It was her reminder about his past that was killing her inside. The fact that the man she had started to fall in love with had a past that he felt he couldn’t turn away from.

When she thought about it know, that really was the real problem. She had started to really fall for Alec, feel things with him that she had never felt with anyone else. And what really scared her was that nagging feeling that she would never feel anything like that again. She knew now she wanted nothing more than to be with Alec, but she didn’t know if that was possible anymore, both because of Alec and herself. Right now, Alec was too caught up in his past and everything he had done then to think about how he might feel for her. And it was exactly the same with Donna.

A good ten minutes into her sobbing session, she had all but forgiven Alec in her head for what he had done. She knew it wasn’t really his fault. That’s when the realisation that she had forgiven her father and brothers killer through love had hit her. She could hear her father’s voice now, telling her just how weak she was, like he had done so many times in the past.

‘Letting your heart rule your head is the biggest mistake you can make, Donna. It’s weak. And my daughter is anything but weak.’

As her mind slipped back into the past, she heard her father’s voice utter three words he had hardly ever said to her.

‘I love you.’

Listening closer, Donna heard his voice as clear as if he was standing beside her.

‘I was wrong, my angel. You’ve never made a single mistake in your life. You strive for what your heart wants, and you need to keep doing that. You were never weak. You are the strongest woman I know. I wish I would have told you….’

As tears poured down her face in floods, Donna’s attention was caught by another figure in the room. There, stood over her as if he had never left, was her father. And he was smiling.

“That I love you,” he finished. “I always have.”

Her emotions getting too much for her, Donna wrapped her arms round herself as her body was wracked with heavy sobs. She had seen so much in her life, most of that being in the last couple of weeks with Alec, but this was one thing she just couldn’t believe. Her father was dead. She was seeing things. Her mind was playing tricks on her. That had to be the case.

And she believed that… until she felt cool fingers raking through her hair.

Looking up, Donna yet again saw her father, kneeling beside her, smiling in a way he never had in life.

“Listen to your heart, my darling,” his voice echoed round the room. “It knows what you truly want.”

Smiling herself, Donna closed her eyes and let her fathers words sink in. and she tried to listen. She tried with all her might to hear what she knew would be the truth. And suddenly… there is what. Just what she wanted.

Opening her eyes again, Donna started to say something only to find this time she was alone in the room. Smiling at the heavens above her, Donna whispered a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to whatever presence had help her see the truth before climbing to her feet and solving this problem once and for all.

@~~>~~~

“Hey big guy, you home?” Donna called into the rooms as she walked into Joshua’s house.

“Donna?” she heard Joshua’s voice call from the living room, clearly wondering if it was her and why she was here.

“Yep, it’s me,” she said, smiling as she stepped into the living room. He was sat in his usually chair, one of the old books in his hands. “How you doin’?”

“I’m good,” Joshua said, smiling at her as she stood over him.

“Glad to hear it. You haven’t seen Alec, have you?” she asked, getting straight to the point. “I went to his apartment, but he wasn’t there.”

“He was here, but he left,” Joshua said.

“Great,” Donna said softly, sighing and running a hand through her hair.

“You and Alec ok, right?” Joshua asked. “Still friends?”

“Why do you ask that, Josh?” Donna said, stepping further into the room and sitting beside Joshua.

“When Alec came, he didn’t seem like… Alec. Wasn’t happy. Alec always happy recently.”

“What do you mean by recently?”

“Past few weeks, Alec always happy. Always smiling. Since he met you.” Donna couldn’t help but smile herself at that. She had to admit that she felt the same. She had been smiling an awful lot more since she had met Alec.

“You have a fight?” Joshua asked.

“Yeah, we did,” Donna answered truthfully.

“What about?”

“Just… stuff. Stuff about Alec’s past, and mine.”

“About Manticore?”

“Sort of. I just guess Alec finds it hard to forget about some of that stuff.”

“Manticore hurt us. All of us, Alec especially. It will take a long time for him to forget.”

“I know that, Josh. I really do. I understand that all that stuff will always be with him, but I just wish now and again there were some things that had never happened, and that I never knew about. I suppose Alec feels the same way.” Donna could feel the tears building up behind her eyes again, but she begged her mind not to let them fall again.

“Why were you arguing about the past, Donna?” Joshua asked. Donna turned to him, a little confused at his question and not sure how to answer it.

“Past is past. It’s already happened. You can’t change that. Why argue about something you can’t change?”

“Well, it’s just… I think that… you know, it’s….” Donna began stammering out, still unsure what to say. “It’s complicated,” she said finally.

“People always say that. Max says that a lot. But I don’t understand it. You and Alec are friends. You like each other. Why argue about something you can’t change?”

“Joshua, you see, it’s just….” Donna began, but then Joshua’s words began to sink in.

Maybe the big guy had a point, and she had been thinking that. That was why she had come looking for Alec, to try and talk to him. And Joshua had pretty much just hit the real point exactly. Everything they had argued about had been in the past. That Alec that had done all those thing, even killed her father and brother, wasn’t the Alec she knew now. She had told him that herself once, when he had told her all about Rachel a couple of night ago. Yet now, she was going back on what she had said, and she didn’t want to do that.

“You know what, Joshua,” Donna said, looking up at him with a wide smile. “You’re actually right. And rather insightful, might I add.” Joshua smiled at that too. Leaning over, Donna gently kissed Joshua on the cheek.

“Thank you, Joshua,” she said softly, getting to her feet. “Now do you know where Alec went?” Joshua shrugged.

“Don’t know. Maybe he went to that place… Crash.”

“Maybe. I’ll go see for myself. See you, Josh. And thanks again,” Donna called out as she left the house.

@~~>~~~

When Alec had let Donna walk away, he had first gone to Joshua’s. The big guy had, as usual, been sat reading, surrounded by all his painting of Annie. Being there, surrounded by those painting and knowing just how painful losing her had been for Joshua, Alec couldn’t help but think about how things had gone with Donna. Granted, his girl was still alive, but it was still a fact that she wasn’t gonna be around him anymore.

So that’s why Alec had gone to Crash, to technically try to down his sorrows. He sat at the bar, downing what had to be at least his… well, he’d lost count of how much Scotch he’d drunk in the past 30 minutes. The only problem was, it had absolutely no effect on him. He could sit here until closing and still stay sober. Right now, he really hated that fact. Right now, all he wanted to do was get drunk and totally forget tonight.

Max may think he was a pathological liar, but Alec really had a knack for telling the truth at the worst moment possible. The one moment when he could, and more often then not did, lose everything he cared about. This time, that everything was Donna. Everything had been going just great. She knew what he was, and it didn’t scare her. She didn’t mind. She even got along great with Joshua. But now everything had turned bad because he couldn’t lie to her anymore.

He could still remember the look on her face when he had told her some of the things in his past that he wanted to forget. Things that included her father. The look on her face as she had ran out of his apartment would haunt him forever.

Like when he had first found out about Rachel, Alec sat at the bar, trying his best to forget everything. But this time, Max didn’t slide into the seat next to him. Donna did.

Alec turned to find her staring at him, no sign of any kind of emotion on her face. Right now, that was an even worse then the total look of disappointment she had given him last time.

“Come to tell me you’re leaving or something like that,” Alec muttered quietly, turning back to his drink.

“No,” Donna said softly. And although he may not have seen it in her face, Alec could hear all the emotion leaking into her voice.

“Donna, I’m sorry,” Alec said, spinning round to face her. “I know I have said that countless times tonight, and I know that really doesn’t change anything, but I am. After everything you told me, I just couldn’t keep the truth from you. Not when you asked. And I know you probably hate me right now. I really don’t blame you. But I just really need you to know that….”

Alec found himself knocked silent when Donna’s lips gently met his in a soft kiss.

“I already know, Alec,” Donna said softly as she pulled away, seeing the shocked look on his face. He just continued to stare at her, really unsure of what to say after everything. Donna just smiled at him, looking round at the crowded bar. “Can we go somewhere else? Talk properly,” Donna asked, taking hold of Alec’s hand. Still pretty shocked at her action when she had walked in, Alec simply let Donna guide him out of the bar. It wasn’t until they were outside that he finally found his voice, pulling her to a stop.

“Ok, not that I’m not thankful or anything but… why? You were the one that ran off, so why?”

“I had a little time to think, what with the running off as you put it,” Donna said. “And a couple of things came kinda clear.”

“Things like what?” Alec asked, not to all too sure whether he was pushing his luck or not with his choice of questioning.

“Like the fact that we can’t change what has already happened. I told you that once, remember. After our little talk about Rachel and your past at Manticore. But tonight, when you told me about what really happened with my dad and brother, I guess I kinda blocked all that out. Not on purpose, I just wasn’t thinking straight. What I felt about my dad and brother, and what I felt for you kind of got muddled up in my mind. And I didn’t know what to think.”

“And now you do?”

“I think so,” Donna said with a smile. “And Joshua helped a little bit.”

“Joshua?”

“Yeah. You weren’t at your apartment, so I went looking for you. Me and Joshua talked, and he just brought a couple of things to light. Things I should have already known. Things that made me realise I don’t wanna lose what we have, whatever it happens to be.”

“Remind me to thank him for that later,” Alec said with a smile. Donna laughed slightly, happy to be right back where she was now.

“Am I still allowed to say sorry?” Alec asked cautiously. “Because I am. Really, truthfully, for everything I probably put you through tonight.” Donna smiled again as she wrapped her arms round Alec’s neck, feeling him automatically hug her back.

“I know you are,” she whispered softly into his neck. She stayed there for a minute, hugging close to Alec and relishing in the fact that he was holding her back tightly. After everything that had happened tonight, she was so happy to be held so tightly in the arms of someone that cared about her and feel the comfort wash over her.

Alec felt exactly the same. The minute Donna had wrapped her arms round his neck, it had felt like a weight had been lifted from his body. It felt great to be back her again, both of them held tight in each other’s arms. It was like it was meant to be.

“So,” Donna said, pulling away from him with a smile and reaching for his hand again. “Walk me home?”

Alec smiled himself, and instead of taking her offered hand, swung his arm round her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. Donna laughed softly as she leaned into his side, the pair making their way back to Donna’s apartment. They were back how they were meant to be, with a little bit more. Understanding.


	9. Chapter Nine

When Donna walked back into her apartment, this time with Alec behind her, her mood was ten times different and ten times better. No more tears and no feelings of upset and betrayal. Being back with Alec felt right. So why was she so nervous?

She heard the click of the door close behind them as she made her way into the kitchen of her apartment. It wasn’t something she was doing consciously, but she was keeping her and Alec at least a room apart.

“Coffee?” she asked as she reached in the cupboard for cups and coffee granules.

“You have a real coffee addiction, don’t you?” Alec asked, making light of the situation.

“You just figured that out?” Donna said with a wan smile as Alec took a seat on the couch.

She continued to make the coffee in silence, neither of them even looking up or glancing at each other. There were things that were running through Donna’s mind, had been pretty much since she had forgiven Alec. Things she still wanted to ask and know about him, and even some things she thought he should know about her. She just wasn’t sure if now was really the time to bring them up.

Finishing up with the coffee, she took the two cups and stood in front of Alec, holding one cup out to him. He took it, but still she didn’t move, and it was his turn to motion to the seat beside him. Smiling, she took the seat, but still didn’t seem all that comfortable.

“Everything ok?” Alec asked, turning his body to face her.

“Everything’s fine,” Donna reply.

“Why don’t I believe you?” Donna paused for a minute before also turning her body to face Alec.

“I just think there are still things we need to talk about,” Donna said, figuring now was a better time than any to start up the conversation she wanted.

“Things like what?” Alec said, beginning to get a little nervous about just where this was going.

“It’s just… I still think there are so many things that we don’t know about each other. Things about our pasts.”

“You’re not gonna give up on this whole deal about my past, are you?” Alec said with a smile. “Why do you wanna know so much about my past, or for me to know about yours?”

“I really believe a person’s past is what makes them who they are. What makes them the person you see in front of you. Things they’ve seen, things they’ve done, and things they lived through. It’s what makes them weak, or what makes them strong. Just like you.”

“Me? Strong?” Alec said, now a little stunned at the direction this conversation seemed to be going.

“Yeah you, Alec, and yeah, strong. I know some things about your past remember, and I am truly amazed that after everything you’ve turned out the way you have. A pretty stable guy.” Alec smiled at her answer, but it faded as he realised what she was asking from him. The fact that she wanted to know about some things he’d much rather forget.

“The thing’s I’ve told you are just the tip of the iceberg, Donna. There is so much more they made me do back them. Things I’m truly ashamed of. A lot of things I don’t want you to know about me, Donna.” Alec reached out and gently touched her cheek, watching as she smiled slightly.

“You’ve told me quite a bit Alec, including things that involve my father and brother. I don’t see how anything you tell me can be any different or worse than that. I’ve seen and done a lot of things in my life that I don’t wanna remember either, Alec. Trust me on that.”

“Yeah, well, have you ever killed anyone?” Alec asked, knowing he had the upper on this matter.

“Yes,” Donna said softly, truly shocking Alec more than anything else she could have said.

“What?” Alec said, the shock that he felt clearly evident in his voice.

“I’ve killed someone,” Donna continued even softer, staring deep into Alec’s eyes and seeing just how shocked he really was.

But there was something else there. Something you could only see if you looked deep enough. The real reason she had told Alec something she had told herself she would never tell anyone. She saw understanding. An understanding that only someone like Alec could ever give her. Someone who had killed and felt true remorse.

“Donna, I….” Alec began, his shock stopping his flow of words. “You’re gonna have to explain this to me in a bit more detail, sweetie. How did you kill someone? What did you do?”

“It was after my father died,” Donna began to tell her story, keeping her eyes anywhere but on Alec. “It really did a number on my mom, losing both my father and my brother like we did.” Even with her eyes down, Donna could see, or more like sense, the look in Alec’s eyes.

“Don’t worry,” she said, throwing a small smile his way. “I forgave you for that before you even walked back through that door. You don’t need to apologise anymore.” At the new and calmer look that flashed in Alec’s eyes, Donna decided it was best to continue her story before she chickened out completely.

“Once my father died, my mom close to lost her mind. Just like me, she never believed the police when they told us what had killed my dad was an accident. She knew he was murdered, but unlike me, she thought she knew who had done it. She kept going on about genetic supersoldiers. Everyone she told, including me, never believed her. But now, I guess she was right.” Donna glanced over at Alec again, the proof of the whole supersoldier program sat right beside her.

“I was 18, so I was still living at home, full time first year uni student. I was at a party one night, and I came back late, still pretty sober. The front door was open, pretty much broken from its hinges actually. I remembered everything my father told me, so I walked cautiously into the house, quiet as I could. That was when I heard my mother screaming.” At this point of the story, tears had started to form behind Donna’s eyes, fighting their way to the front against Donna’s wishes.

“Forgetting everything my dad had told me, I just ran to her voice. I found her in the wreck that was our living room, cowering in the corner with a guy stood over her who couldn’t have been any older than me, a gun pointed right between her eyes. After that, I just worked on pure instinct. Seeing someone with a gun pointed at my mother, the only family I had left, I just leap at him, tackling him before he even realised I was there, in the room. Even with all the training my dad had given me, that guy seemed to know ten times more. And he was so strong. I mean….” Donna’s voice trailed off, eyes staring and mouth open as if something new had just occurred to her.

“X5,” she whispered softly. “I never realised until now, but I guess he had to have been an X5. They must have seen my mom as a threat too, what with he spouting out about supersoldiers.”

“Like I said,” Alec said softly. “If they thought someone could jeopardise what they were doing up at Manticore, they got rid of them, as horrible as that is to say.”

“So that was it,” she said as the tears slowly made trials down her cheeks. “They saw my mom as a threat. I guess she was lucky I was there. I saved her life, even if it was the last thing I ever did for her. Me and this guy, the X5, we fought, struggled for the gun. I don’t know how, but I managed to get it off him. For what seemed like an eternity, we stood there, eye to eye. Then I did it. Without a second thought I pulled the trigger, hit him right between the eyes. He was dead within seconds.” Donna felt Alec’s warm hand clasp round hers, but for once it didn’t offer comfort.

“I lost my mother that night too, in theory,” Donna continued. “She’d begun to break after the death of my dad, but that night just threw her over the edge, seeing her sweet little girl killing someone in cold blood. I tried to go to her, comfort her and see if she was alright, but she couldn’t even stand to look at me. I can remember so vividly the way she screamed, literally ran from my touch. She just carried on screaming and screaming, so I rung her doctor. He took her away, locked her away in a mental institute. That was three years ago. The last time I ever saw my mom because she can’t stand to be around me anymore.” She turned to Alec then, again looking deep into his eyes.

“So there it is,” she said with a small forced smile. “The night I killed someone, lost what I had left of my family, and the reason I can accept anything you throw at me now. Because guess what Alec. You and I are more alike than I first thought. Back at Manticore, you were told you were killing for all the right reasons. Well, that’s what I did. Killed for the right reasons.”

“Reasons like what?” Alec asked, keeping his voice pretty neutral.

“Love. Plain and simple. Someone came at my family, the only person I had left to love, and that was it. I guess that doesn’t make it right though, does it.”

There was no answer he could give for that. He knew, from personal experience, that there was no way inside your own mind that you could justify killing another person. You always had to live with it, no matter what anyone else tried to tell you. No matter how many words of comfort you heard. So instead, where words of comfort failed, actions were better. He wrapped his arms round her, drawing her into his body as those tears she had wanted so badly to fight fell in a steady flow.

He was a little cautious at first when he reached out to her, remembering the last time he had tried to hold her, comfort her. Just like he remembered the powerful slap across the face his words had gotten him. But as he felt her reach out, hold tight to him, he relaxed. She was gratefully taken the comfort he was offering, leaning into him and clutching tightly to his body.

“You know, you were right about the body temperature thing,” Donna said, hugging against Alec and trying to steer their conversation to anything other than the sordid details of her past. Anything to stop the tears that had already began to slow. “You do feel warmer.”

“Not much,” Alec said, knowing just what she was doing and giving into her. For now at least. “Just three degrees.” Alec continued, being round Donna making him realise all the more just how normal he wasn’t.

“It’s nice,” Donna said, sensing what he really meant as always. “Kind of comforting in a way.” She hugged closer against Alec, her head resting against his chest and her eyes closed.

“Last time we spoke, you kept repeatedly telling me not to touch you,” Alec said jokily as he felt Donna cling to him, her arms round him tightening. “Now, you won’t seem to let me go.” At least Donna laughed at that, even if it was slightly forced for his sake.

“Well, right now, I kind of need you to keep touching me,” Donna said while she let her head rest against Alec’s chest. In response, Alec held her a little tighter.

“Fine by me,” he said. “Although, after everything, I’ll never understand why.” He tried to keep his voice low on the last bit, but Donna heard.

“It’s because of everything that’s made me see this Alec,” she said softly. “I need this. I need you. When we’re like this, when you hold me or when you kiss me, it feels kinda perfect. I feel kinda perfect. And I need that more than anything.”

Alec felt the continued sob roll through her body and into his, and lifted her face to see the single tear rolling down her already tear-stained cheek. Smiling, Alec leaned down and kissed her, tenderly but full of passion. He pulled away to find Donna smiling now, her eyes still closed.

“Just like that,” she whispered. Alec laughed softly, his hand resting against her soft cheek.

“Donna, I let you change the subject for a minute or two,” Alec said softly. “But I really think you told me that for a reason.” Donna sighed, trying her best to put on a smile.

“Now who’s the one who’s so concerned about the past?”

“Donna, there was nothing wrong about what you did. You were defending you mom, your family, the only way you could.”

“No Alec, that wasn’t the only way. There were other things I could have done to save my mother. Ways that didn’t involve pulling that trigger.”

“He was an X5. I know quite a bit about them, and I know what they’re capable of. Once they have a mission, they do anything they have to do to complete it. Which would have meant killing you if you got in they way.”

“It doesn’t matter what you say, Alec. It doesn’t matter what anyone says. As far as I’m concerned, it was murder.”

“Well, In that case, for all the times that has happened in my life, I must be a mass murdered then.”

“That it a totally different matter, Alec,” Donna said, gazing up into his eyes again. “You were part of the military, a soldier. Brainwashed, even. That was all you knew back then. You didn’t know any better.”

“Like I told you Donna, there is quite a bit about my past you don’t know,” Alec said. “I could have said no. Max and her unit realised that when they were only nine years old. They fought back and escaped. But not me. I was a good little soldier. I did exactly what they told me, even if it meant killing people I cared about.”

“Rachel,” Donna said. It wasn’t a question, she wasn’t asking if she was right. She knew what he was talking about. She knew exactly how he felt about what had happened back then.

“Just like you said, there was so much I could have done back then so she wouldn’t have died. I could have fought them, tried harder.”

“You did, Alec. You told Rachel, you tried to save her. It wasn’t even you who killed her, who pushed the button.”

“I might as well have. I planted the bomb that killed her. I didn’t try hard enough or do anything I could have.” Donna shifted her position, pulling her body away from Alec and sitting almost in front of him so she could make him look directly in her eyes.

“And what do you think they would have done to you, Alec. They would have killed you for disobeying them and you know it.”

“Maybe they should have. Far better a Manticore soldier, a killer, die instead of an innocent girl.”

“Alec, that is not true. If they would have killed you back then, you wouldn’t be where you are now. That Manticore soldier, who you were, X5-494. He died along time ago. You’re Alec now, plain and simple. And Alec would never kill an innocent girl or an innocent anyone. I’ve already told you this once Alec. You’re a different person now.” Donna smiled then and moved again, leaning against Alec and hugging close to her body. “The kind of person a girl would want to be around.”

Alec smiled as he wrapped his own arms round her, hugging her tight. Donna always seemed to be able to make sense, make him feel a hundred times better.

They stayed in that position for what felt like hours until Alec felt Donna relax a little more in his arms. Her light, even breathing told him Donna had fallen asleep in his arms. Her head resting against his chest, Donna had let herself cuddle closely into Alec’s body, needing the comfort she felt with his touch. And that comfort had eased her, allowing her to sleep properly for the first time in a while, just like she had the night she had spent lying by his side.

Alec held her to him now, stroking a hand through her hair while he listened to her steady breathing. He wanted to stay in this moment forever, just holding her in his arms and knowing everything was perfect in his world right now. Donna was back, he hadn’t lost her for good. And he wasn’t gonna mess it up again.

Lifting her gently into his arms and trying his best not to wake her, Alec carried Donna into the bedroom. Laying her on the bed, Alec pulled the blankets over her and smiled as he watched her ease her body into the softness of the mattress.

“Goodnight, Donna,” he whispered, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss on her forehead. Then, his voice so low he barely heard it himself, Alec uttered three simple words he thought he would never be able to feel or say again.

“I love you.”

With one last glance back at Donna, Alec closed the door and left her to sleep. And as the door clicked closed, Donna smiled softly, opening one eye and looking up at the spot where Alec had just stood. Her smile growing even wider, Donna let her eyes drift closed again, falling back into a totally peaceful slumber.


	10. Chapter Ten

Donna was stood in her old house, her mother cowering at her side and a gun in her hand which she had pointed at her mother’s attacker. The loud bang echoed round the room as Donna let her finger tighten on the trigger, the shot hitting right between the guys eyes. She let the body fall to the floor before she let the gun follow it, dropping it from her hand like it was something dirty. Cautiously, Donna stepped towards the body and she gasped as for the first time she really saw his features.

It was Alec, lay perfectly still with a small hole in his head that had been his down fall. Kneeling slowly, Donna reached out a hand to touch his cold, dead cheek.

A cold, dead hand clasped round her wrist and blank eyes stared up at her as a voice that should have been so familiar eerily uttered one word.

‘Why?’

@~~>~~~

Donna sat bolt upright, screaming as her mind was roughly, and thankfully, pulled from her nightmare. Hearing the scream echo from the room Donna had moments ago been asleep in, Alec raced in, flinging the door open to find her breathing heavily and staring blankly ahead of her.

“Donna,” he said, sitting down on the bed beside her and touching her cheek gently.

“Don?” he repeated more softly as her eyes met his. “You all right?”

“Yeah,” she said, nodding slightly and falling back onto the bed and out of his hold. “Just a nightmare.”

“Just a nightmare? You sure about that?” Alec said, slinking his arm loosely across her waist.

“Yes. I promise,” Donna said, turning to him with a gentle smile on her lips.

“You gonna tell me what about?” he asked gently, his hand slowly moving to lay against her hip. That was when he noticed the slight shiver to her body, as if she was cold despite the heat in the room around them.

“Alec, I’m fine. Really.”

“Oh yeah? Is that why you are still shaking?” That again earned him a slight smile as she closed her eyes against the images she had seen a moment ago.

“It was… it was like a memory, but it wasn’t.” Alec just continued to stare at her now, unsure of her meaning. Seeing his uncertainty, she continued.

“I was remembering what we talked about. The night with my mother. Only this time it was different. I remember that night, whether I want to or not, but I remember very little about the X5. I know I stood there and stared at him, eye to eye, but I just don’t remember that much about him. I think my mind chose not to. I couldn’t stand to look at him after I’d shot him. But in my dream, my nightmare, it was…. It was you who I shot that night.”

Alec wasn’t good with moments like this. He loved this woman, but it didn’t mean he was any better with what he classed as ‘chick flick’ moments, a phrase he had learnt on the outside. But it still didn’t mean he couldn’t try his best to comfort her. Lifting his hand from her waist, he stroked it gently across her cheek.

“Just a nightmare, Donna. Nothing more. After all the things I’ve seen and done in my past, I get them often. But you just gotta remember, no matter what you see, that’s all they are. Images. No truth to them at all.”

“You don’t get it Alec,” she said, turning her gaze away from him and pulling out of his reach. “Maybe there is some truth to it. You’re probably gonna laugh yourself silly when I tell you this, but I really believe dreams have a little truth in them. That, even though it may be cryptic, they hold a message.”

“And what can this one tell you?” Alec asked, trying his best not to be sceptic about what she was telling him.

“That maybe, someday and somehow, I’m gonna be the one that kills you.”

“I don’t believe that. You couldn’t hurt another living soul. Not even me, despite how much of a pain in the ass I can be at times.”

“Maybe you won’t die by my hand, but I could be the reason you end up getting killed.” Forcefully but trying not to hurt her, Alec took hold of her chin and turned her to face him.

“I don’t believe that either. My life is in danger no matter what, I’ve learnt to except that. But you. The only thing I know about you being in my life is that it’s a good thing. A very good thing. And guess what. Even if being here does put me in any more danger, I really don’t care. Just as long as I still get moments like this.” Emphasising his point, Alec lent down and gently kissed her lips. Just a quick kiss, but it was enough to prove his point and his passion.

Pulling back, he saw the gently smile etched across her lips. A genuine smile. The first one he’d seen tonight.

“You gonna be ok now?” he asked, his voice as soft and gentle as it had ever been around her.

“Yeah.”

“Promise?” he said with a smile of his own.

“I promise,” she replied with a small laugh.

“Good,” Alec said, smiling back and again stroking his thumb softly across her cheek. “Now try and sleep. You’ve only been in here for 30 minutes and you looked like you needed some rest before.”

Kissing her forehead, Alec made to stand up. But before he could move more than inch, Donna’s hand was round his wrist, holding him down.

“Being ok doesn’t exactly mean I wanna be alone right now,” she said with another small laugh, scooting over slightly on the bed. Understanding, Alec lay beside her on the bed, wrapping her in his arms.

“You all right now?” he asked again.

“Yes,” she said, cuddling into his chest. “And I’ll be even better if you stop asking me if I’m ok, or alright, or any other word to that meaning. I am fine. I can handle a little nightmare.”

“I know you can,” Alec said, feeling his body giving into sleep against the soft mattress and with her in his arms.

“Alec?” Donna said into his chest.

“Mm?” he mumbled, closing his eyes.

“You said you had nightmares, too. I get that I’m probably prying and crossing a good couple of limits, but what are they about?”

Alec’s eyes were now wide open and the idea of sleep had gone from his mind. He never talked about things like his dreams, not to anyone. He saw it as a weakness, being scared of a bunch of images as he had pointed out to Donna only moments ago. Just like he considered talking about his feelings a weakness as well. All those things Manticore had taught him back when he was a child.

If he had ever had nightmares as a kid in Manticore, no one had cared. No one had been there to tell a 7 year old boy nightmares were nothing to fear. So, for the rest of his adult life, he’d pretty much learnt not to open his mouth about his problems. They were, after all, his problems and no one else’s. he sometimes forgot that there were people around him now that cared. People like Donna.

Feeling him tense just the slightest and the hesitation she was getting, Donna simple wrapped her arms a little tighter round Alec.

“That’s all right,” she said softly. “There are a lot more things in your life that you’ve got reasons to have nightmares about. I get that some of those things you don’t really wanna talk about.”

“Yeah, there are,” Alec replied, finally speaking up. “But I just sat here giving you this whole speech on how nightmares aren’t anything you need to think too hard on. I guess I should listen to my own advice every once in a while.”

“So does that mean you’re gonna talk to me, then?” Donna asked with a cheeky smile up at him. Alec laughed slightly at the intrigued look in her eyes and the almost persistence in getting him to open up. And if he was going to open up to anyone, why not Donna?

“Manticore and my childhood mostly,” Alec said, giving in to the look in her eyes and answering her original question. “All the things they forced us to do. All the training and punishments. But, more often than not, they’re mostly about Ben, my twin brother.”

“Twin brother? So there’s another one of you running around out there?”

“Not anymore,” Alec admitted sadly. When Donna simply looked at him, her eyes questioning, Alec emphasised on the story.

“He was one of those kids who escaped with Max,” Alec said, going into the story Max had once told him. “But life on the outside wasn’t all good old Benny expected it to be. He pretty much lost it, turned schizophrenic, and he started killing people. Maxie found out and pretty much took it upon herself to try and save him, but he was too far gone, and Manticore had already found out and were looking for him as well, which would have meant being put through Manticore’s special type of punishments. But when Max found him, he got injured, so much so he couldn’t escape. To save him, Max was forced to kill him, her own brother.”

“Poor Max,” Donna said after Alec’s small silence, knowing the story was finished.

“Yeah. Poor Max,” Alec said, trying to make it sound sincere.

“Did you know him, ever meet him back at Manticore?”

“No, but some of the things he did on the outside affected me on the inside.”

“Meaning?” Donna said, determined to get the whole story out of him now he had started.

“I was out put through a lot of not so nice tests to see if the schizophrenic gene was in me too.”

“Sorry I asked,” Donna said softly, hearing the tone in his voice telling her that was a memory he didn’t want brought to the surface.

“Hey, you’ve got me talking, you might as well keep it going. This doesn’t happen very often.” Donna laughed lightly as she turned up to look him in the eyes again.

“Just out of interest, and not that it would make me care about you any less, but the whole genetic thing….”

“It’s not,” Alec said with a small smile. “Not according to those scientist who had a hold of me for six months.”

“Why do I have a funny feeling that isn’t the full story in your mind,” Donna said with a raised eyebrow. Alec paused slightly, taking a deep breath before getting into the real depth of his nightmares.

“I guess sometimes, now I know the truth about Ben, I can’t help wondering if the Manticore scientist were actually wrong. Whether in years to come, I’m really gonna turn into my brother and hurt the people I love. I mean technically, me and him are pretty much identical. Same DNA, same fingerprints, same looks. I guess it’s not that far of a stretch to think that maybe we could have the same mind too.”

“Yes it is,” Donna said softly.

“You don’t know everything about Manticore, Don. What they went through to create their soldiers, not to mention just how identical they really did make their twinned soldiers.”

“I don’t need to know Manticore to know that everything you just said Alec is a load of bull,” Donna said, her voice just forceful enough to make Alec turn down to look at her.

“You Alec, are far too self assured to ever be anything other than who you are now,” Donna continued. “You know your own mind. There’s no way you could ever lose it.” But Alec didn’t seem to be taking in what she was saying, not really believing her.

“Would it help if I told you that you were already a little crazy?” Donna said, taking a new option.

“No, actually,” Alec said with a small smile. “That just wouldn’t help. Not really.”

“Well you are. But don’t worry, it’s in a kind of sweet way. Everyone is just a little crazy in their own way Alec. It’s what makes them truly unique. And you are definitely unique, and definitely in control of your own mind. The fact that you’ve got worries about your mental health actually tells me you’re pretty much in control on it. You’ve got to have a mind to have worries. Plus there is the fact that I have known you for a while now, and you’ve never actually shown any signs of any kind of dual personalities. You’re you, and only you. Just how I like you.”

“How is it,” Alec said with the beginnings of a laugh. “That you have this magical way of knowing just what to say to make me feel better?”

“Just a gift I guess,” she said with a smile, leaning back into his body.

“Your curiosity quite filled?” Alec asked, leaning his head against hers.

“For now,” she said, and Alec could feel her smile against his chest. “Right now, I just wanna sleep.”

“Fine by me,” Alec said, the tiredness that had before eluded him coming back to his mind and body.

“And Alec,” she said, remembering the words he had spoken when he had gently dropped her into the bed and unintentionally woken her.

“Yeah,” he answered, his eyes drifting closed.

“I love you, too.”

And with that her own eyes closed, falling back into a deep slumber in the comfort of his arms. Smiling down at her, Alec pressed a kiss on the top of her head. Wrapping his arms tighter round her sleeping form, one thought flashed through Alec’s mind as he mind drifted to dreamland.

His life, at this moment in time, really couldn’t get any better.


	11. Chapter Eleven

When Donna woke the next morning, she was still lay at Alec’s side, and he was still asleep beside her. Smiling softly, Donna looked up into the face of the man she had last night admitted she loved. He looked so unbelievably peaceful in his sleep. A little boyish even. It made her smile just that little bit wider, laugh even, to think how much of a contradiction that really was. Alec was anything but boyish. He may look like your average run of the mill guy, but deep inside, he was far more. He was a supersoldier, emphasis on the super part.

Her smile turning a little devilsh, Donna placed a small kiss against Alec’s shoulder, trying to get a reaction. And the reaction he gave was a slight stir, but he still stayed asleep. Trying again, Donna let her kisses move a little higher, moving across his shoulder, his neck, and his jaw line. It was when her lips closed on the skin just below his ear that she felt the soft laugh rumble through him and his arms tighten round her a little.

“That tickles, you know,” Alec whispered into her ear, placing his own kisses against her jaw.

“That’s the idea,” Donna whispered back with a small laugh. Alec gave a laugh of his own as his lips moved across hers.

“Good morning, by the way,” Alec said once he lifted his lips away from hers.

“Good morning to you, too,” Donna replied, cuddling back against his chest. She stayed like that for a while, relaxing completely into the comfort of Alec’s arms, until her cell phone brought her back to reality. Pulling from Alec’s side, Donna moved across the room to her jacket, and her phone. “Hello?” she said into the receiver. The male voice that rang from the other end was loud enough for Alec to hear clearly over the other side of the room.

“Do you have any idea how late it is, and how many late mornings you’ve already had?”

“Morning Pete,” Donna said to her manager in a sweet tone, holding the phone away from her ear.

“Don’t ‘morning Pete’ me! Get your ass into work! NOW!” And with that, the dial tone clicked on from the other end. Donna flicked her own phone shut and turned back to Alec, who was smiling at her, trying to hold back his laughter.

“Your boss, I guess,” he said simply.

“Yes, which means I’ve got to go. And now, before I lose my job.”

“Wanna lift?” Alec asked, slipping off the bed himself.

“You know, shouldn’t you try to get into work on time one of these days before you lose your job,” Donna said, grabbing her jacket and heading out of the apartment with Alec behind her.

“Oh, don’t worry. I doubt my boss would fire his Golden Boy.”

“Golden Boy?”

“Yep. He happens to enjoy ring fights, and is one of my bigger fans.”

“Ah, right. Monty Cora,” Donna said with a small laugh, closing her apartment door behind them. “I forgot about your short-lived career in ring fighting.”

“Why do you say it like that?”

“No reason. It’s just your boss is never gonna know the truth about your fights.”

“Truth? Girl, you have seen me fight. You said I was good in the ring.”

“Yeah, ya see, that’s when I thought it was just pure talent. Not genetics. And please, don’t call me ‘girl’,” Donna said overly cheerfully with a wide smile.

“Hey, who’s to say none of that wasn’t pure talent,” Alec said, faking offence.

“Oh, so you’re telling me you didn’t put all of your skills into those fights to win some extra cash.”

“Well, since you put it that way….” Alec said, shrugging his shoulders casually. Donna laughed as they stopped in front of his bike. “You already know me and my downfalls. Money and beautiful women,” he said, kissing her gently before swinging his leg over his bike. Donna just smiled at him, blushing slightly.

“Yeah, and I also know just how much of a charmer you can be.”

“Only with the women I want something from,” Alec said, motioning to the back of his bike.

“Do you even remember where I work?”

“Of course. I’ve dropped you there before. Picture perfect memory,” he said, tapping the side of his head with a forefinger. “Only need to go somewhere once and I’ll remember. So get on the bike.”

“Demanding, aren’t you?” Donna said as she swung her leg over the bike behind Alec, wrapping her arms round his waist.

“Again, only with the woman I want something from,” Alec said again, Donna’s arms wrapping tighter round him as he swung the bike round the corner and to her work.

@~~>~~~

Alec pulled up outside ‘Andy’s Place’, the bar/restaurant where Donna worked. It took a minute, like always, for Donna to regain her composure and loosen her grip round his waist, sliding off the back of the bike. Flattening down her windswept hair slightly, Donna turned to see Alec laughing at her silently.

“No laughing,” Donna said with a fake scowl on her lips. “You might be used to that bike but I’m not just yet.”

“Hey,” Alec said, holding up his hands in defence. “I didn’t say a word.”

“No, you laughed. Don’t.”

“Now who’s the demanding one?”

“We women can be, and men like you still love us.”

“Suppose you’re right. See you tonight?” Alec said, taking her hand as she walked round the side of the bike.

“Yep,” Donna said, leaning forward to kiss him lightly before she pulled away, smiling back at him as she walked in the bar.

“I thought you said you were just friends,” a prying voice said from behind her.

Donna turned to see Jackie cleaning down one of the tables. Jackie was one of the only women who worked here that Donna truly got along with. She was civil to the others for the sake of keeping her job, but it didn’t mean she had to like them after hours. Jackie was different. There was no way you couldn’t like Jackie, she was just so friendly and outgoing. Always with a smile on her face. And now was no exception. Her work forgotten, Jackie turned up to Donna with a wide smile on her face that made her brown eyes sparkle with intrigue, her dark hair pulled back into a messy ponytail.

“What do you mean?” Donna said, acting innocent although she knew Jackie had already had a perfect view of her and Alec’s goodbye scene.

“You and that pretty boy friend of yours. Friends don’t usually say see ya with lips. At least not like that.”

“Yeah, well, things change,” Donna said, unable to hide the somewhat proud smile that took it’s place on her lips.

“Oh, and don’t you just look soooo happy about that,” Jackie brought back with a smile of her own as Donna’s smile turned into a laugh as she headed off towards the back to find Pete and get the ‘tardiness is not welcome in my work place’ speech she knew off by heart now. Why the guy hadn’t fired her a long time ago she had no idea. She guessed she really knew how to be persuasive and get her own way when she put her mind to it. “By the way, some one came in looking for you early,” Jackie called after her.

“Who?” Donna asked, turning back round to face her friend.

“Some government type guy. You ain’t been getting yourself into any trouble lately, have you?” Jackie asked jokily, getting back to work. The word ‘government’ stuck out most in that sentence and Donna rushed back over to Jackie, grabbing her wrist to put her attention on her.

“Did he give a name?” Donna asked desperately.

“Yeah,” Jackie said, pulling her wrist from Donna’s grasp and looking at her like she was insane or something. “I think it was… White, or something like that.”

Yet another word that caught Donna’s attention, this one scaring her a little more after the things Alec had told her. White.

Donna looked out of the bar window to see Alec still outside, tinkering with his bike that had seemingly stalled. But Alec wasn’t the only person she saw outside. Stepping out of a black car were two men that unfortunately looked a little too much like the men she had encountered that night outside Crash.

“Tell Pete I….” Donna stammered to Jackie as she began backing towards the door. “Tell him I had to…. You know what, just tell him anything, because I really need to go.”

Donna ran out of the bar, ignoring Jackie as she called after her. She came to a skidding halt beside Alec who had just swung his leg over his bike.

“Donna, what are you….” Alec began.

“Is it working?” Donna cut him off, motioning towards the bike.

“I hope so,” Alec said, still unsure of why she was back out here and where she was going with this.

“Well, you might wanna leave then,” Donna said, jumping on the bike behind Alec and this time motioning to the two men that were now heading towards them. Alec immediately recognised them as Familiars, his eyes going wide.

“Yeah, I think we should,” Alec replied, revving the bike and hoping to God it didn’t stall again. Lucky for them it didn’t, and Alec kicked off the curb, spinning the bike and taking off in the opposite direction. Unlucky for them, the Familiars weren’t too far behind them, jumping into their car and following their pray the minute they sped off.

Donna kept her arms wrapped tight round Alec while he hugged the bike tight to the corners as he sped off down the road, the Familiars car still close behind them and catching up. His supersoldiers qualities kicking in, Alec searched round the streets, looking for a way to escape their followers. Which was when he recognised the street they were on.

Picking up speed a little, Alec skidded left round the next corner, taking a quick left again into the shadows of an abandoned building. As he jerked the bike to a stop, he felt Donna’s body tilt behind him, almost falling from the bike, and weaved his hand behind him to grab her waist and keep her upright. They both watched as a second later the black car flew past their hiding place, still supposedly following Alec and Donna down the street.

With their followers no longer following them, Alec felt Donna’s slight weight lean further into his back, sighing deeply and relaxing.

“You ok?” Alec asked, turning slightly in his seat to look at her, causing her to pull slightly away from his body.

“I’m good. That last turn was just a little sharp,” Donna answered.

“Well, we had to get away.”

“I know,” Donna said, leaning up from where she was to wrap her arms lightly round his neck. “But don’t you think we really ought to get away for real before those guys figure something out and turn around?”

“I think you’re right,” Alec said, turning out of Donna’s gently grip and back to the front of the bike, taking off at a steady speed in the direction they had already come from, Donna turning her head to watch cautiously behind them. Just in case.

@~~>~~~

Soon enough, Alec pulled the bike up outside Donna’s, letting her jump off before he did. They had both figured since White’s men clearly knew where she worked and were trying for information from her, going back to work wasn’t the best idea for Donna right now.

“My inability to go back to work doesn’t stop you from earning a wage, you know?” Donna said once they were both off the bike.

“No, but looking after my girlfriend does,” he replied with a smile. With a smile of her own, Donna turned, mouth open to tell him she didn’t really need looking after, when Alec’s cell phone rang. Donna waited while he tugged it from his pocket, checking the caller ID.

“Work?” Donna asked.

“No. Max,” he answered, still watching the ringing phone as if he didn’t know what to do with it.

“Well, answer it, don’t stare at it. I’ll be in my apartment.” Donna turned away, running her hand through Alec’s hair affectionately as she turned to head up to her apartment. She heard the ringing stop and Alec answering the phone with ‘What do you want’ as the first door closed behind her.

Walking up the stairs, the next door she came to, her apartment door, was already open slightly. Most people would have turned and walked away at this point, gone back to the supersoldier that was waiting downstairs. But Donna wasn’t most people. She didn’t depend on anyone else. She took care of herself.

Cautiously pushing the door open the rest of the way, Donna stepped inside to find… nothing. Not a thing was missing, or out of place, and there was no one still inside her apartment. Confusion ebbing across her features, Donna checked the rest of the room and again found nothing. It was only when she moved to her bedroom that the closing of the front door brought her attention elsewhere.

Turning, Donna saw that she was no longer alone in her apartment. And the horrible thing was, she knew exactly who the guy stood in front of her now was.

“You know, you’re harder to find then an X5, Miss Kross,” White said, a smug grin on his face and flanked either side by two large men. Donna didn’t need to turn round to she was being surrounded. She was already caught, so none of them saw any need to hide their footfalls.

“After all this, it is so nice to finally meet you,” White continued.

“I wish I could say the same about you,” Donna said, confidently keeping eye contact with him.

“Well, it seems you’ve got spirit Donna. Mind if I call you Donna?”

“Yes,” Donna said simply. For a second, the two of them just stood in the middle of the room, holding eye contact. It was White who backed down first, smiling almost proudly and motioning for the rest of his men to leave. Once the last one closed the door behind him, White began pacing in front of Donna.

“You see, I know quite a bit about you, Donna,” White said. “And one thing I do know is you’ve been seen with X5’s. Specifically X5-494 and X5-452.”

“So, not only are you killing innocents, but you’re having them followed now, too,” Donna said.

“Those freaks are far from innocent,” White said. “They’re killers, born and bred.”

“You believe what you wanna believe, I’ll believe what I wanna believe. We’ll both be happy,” Donna said calmly, crossing her arms over her chest. She could see she was aggravating him. It was in his eyes and the way he was grinding his teeth. He looked like he was either gonna yell, kick something, or throw a punch Donna’s way. But he didn’t do any of that. He simply took a deep, long breath and calmed himself.

“You are not what I want in all this,” White told her.

“Oh, well, that’s nice to know,” Donna said. Again, White took another deep, long, calming breath.

“But you can give me what I want. You can give me 494 and 452. You cooperate, you’ll be left alone.”

“You believe I’ll do that?” Donna asked. White’s silence was enough of an answer. “Wow, this really played out different in your head, didn’t it. Which, by the way, means no. There is no way in heaven or hell I’m giving up Alec or Max.”

“I wanted to do this the easy way, no harm to you,” White said, stepping up to Donna. “But there are other ways, more painful ways, to get what I want out of you.”

“I believe you,” Donna said. “Which is why I’m not gonna give you the chance.”

The spinning kick was too quick and too unexpected for White to dodge, Donna’s foot connecting hard with the side of his head. White dazed slightly, Donna raced to the window, looking out to see Alec still stood by his bike on his cell phone.

“Alec!” she screamed down to him. “Alec, get out of here! It’s White, he’s….”

Donna’s warning was cut short as an unbelievably strong arm grabbed hold of her, throwing her across the room as if she were a rag doll. Donna hit the couch, her force sending it toppling backwards and her landing in an uncomfortable heap beside it.

“You know, I don’t understand why a beautiful and intelligent young, normal, woman like you would want to defend a pair of monsters like them,” White said as he stood over Donna.

“They’re not the monsters, you are. You just can’t see it,” Donna said, her earlier confidence ebbing as her voice began to shake.

“One you seem to be scared of now,” White said with another smug smile. And with almost superhuman speed, White picked Donna up by the neck, throwing her against the wall and tightening his grip. “You seem to only just be realising what I’m capable of. And this is just the beginning.”

Again, with little effort, White threw Donna across the room and into her kitchen cabinet, Donna landing painfully in a pile of wood and broken china. She sat up slightly, a little dazed, all of her muscles fighting against her movements. Her aching muscles were somewhat relieved as White picked her off her feet again, holding her brusingly by her shoulders.

“Last chance,” White said. “Where is 494?”

“Right here,” Alec’s voice spoke up from beside them. White turned just as Alec threw his fist out, hitting White in the jaw. White, the punch and his split lip hardly fazing him, stood in front of him with a smile on his face.

“Well, if it isn’t 494, come to the rescue,” White said. “And right on cue, too.”

“Yeah, and why would that be?” Alec asked. White smiled as, just like before, the four Familiars he had brought with him seemingly appeared out of nowhere, surrounding Alec and Donna.

“You need to remember, 494,” White said. “I always come prepared. You, however, don’t have 452 to get you out of trouble.”

“That’s you’re problem, Ames,” Alec said, holding out his hand to help Donna up while he kept his eyes on White. He could tell by the strong grip on his hand and the way Donna barely struggled standing that most of her strength was quickly coming back. “You really don’t know us transgenics as well as you believe you do. We may fight better together, but we run better alone.”

Gently squeezing Donna’s hand to pass along the message, Alec blurred through the Familiars to the door, knowing he at least had the upper hand when it came to speed.

Knowing she would never get through the Familiars alive, Donna did things her way. Pushing her aching muscles, Donna jumped onto her kitchen counter in one leap, going around instead of through. Jumping down off the counter, Donna’s foot connected with the Familiar who came at her first, knocking him into the other three and leaving White the only one standing as she followed Alec out of her apartment.

Running into the hallway, Donna could see Alec just in front of her and hear the footsteps behind her as the fallen Familiars pulled themselves up and followed them. Watching Alec race down the stairs, Donna again did things her way, knowing the ins and outs of this building better than anyone who lived here.

Kicking open the broken emergency exit door, Donna ran out onto the fire escape and easily jumped over the edge and down one level to the last set of railings. Climbing down the first few rungs of the ladder, Donna pushed down heavily, letting the ladder take her the rest of the way and dropping to the floor once it stopped. She turned, reaching the bike as Alec did.

“You were right behind me a minute ago,” Alec said, climbing onto his bike.

“I have my own way of doing things,” Donna replied, climbing on the bike behind Alec. “Now lets go.”

Alec did, flying down the road on his bike and gone before White had chance to follow them.


	12. Chapter Twelve

Going back to Alec’s apartment, Donna was first inside, collapsing face down on the couch out of exhaustion while Alec closed and locked the apartment door.

“Are you ok?” Alec asked, sitting on the edge of the table beside her.

“Yeah, Alec, I’m just fine,” Donna said sarcastically, her face still pressed into the couch.

“Been a bit of a weird day,” Alec said, gently stroking his hand across her hair.

“Weird doesn’t begin to cover it,” Donna said, finally turning her head out of the couch. “Everything that’s going on, it’s…. I don’t think there’s a word crazy enough to describe it,” Donna finished, standing off the couch.

“These people, whoever they are, are clearly clinically insane,” Donna said, her voice rising as all her frustration poured out of her. “They have no regard for people’s lives or privacy. And they work for the government, which is even better. There’s no one to run to and tell about this crazy cult that’s trying to kill me, although it’s not like they would believe me anyway. Now the great thing is, they’re after my boyfriend, the supersoldier, who is scared enough of them to go racing off in the opposite direction.”

“I did that to protect you. That isn’t what I would usually do,” Alec said. Turning to him, Donna calmed herself at the emotion aimed at her sparkling behind Alec’s eyes.

“God, I know,” Donna said, guilt ebbing into her voice slightly. “I know, and now I’m yelling and ranting at you for no reason. I mean, all you ever seem to do is care about and try to protect me when I’m….” Donna took a deep breath, organising her thoughts before she went on.

“Look, I know this is your life and all, but it was never mine. Never meant to be. Until I met you, nothing out of the ordinary ever happened to me.”

“Donna, I know you’re scared….” Alec began.

“I have gone way past scared, Alec,” Donna cut in. “I can’t go anywhere anymore without someone from that stupid cult jumping me, wanting to know where you are. I can’t protect myself from them, because they are stronger than anyone I have ever met, even you. And to top it all off, I can’t go back to my apartment because they know where I live and have been snooping round my stuff. I’ve got nowhere to go. I just… this is just…. I don’t know what to do.”

Donna breathed deeply as she felt tears welling up behind her eyes. She may have been breaking down, but crying was the last thing she was gonna do. She swallowed the lump in her throat and closed her eyes, calming her emotions. The soft touch to her cheek helped that a little as Alec lifted her head to look at him.

“Ok, so maybe you have tipped a little beyond scared. You’re ranting at me again for one,” Alec said with a small smile. “But right now, I need you to show me that trusting nature of yours. White and his Familiars are my problem. They’re after me and my kind. Luckily for you, you don’t fit into the my kind category. But considering I want to keep you in my life, that requires keeping you safe from White. Which I will do, I promise you. Trust me.”

Sighing, Donna smiled and leaned into Alec’s touch as she softly muttered three words.

“I trust you.”

“Right. Now, as for the whole nowhere to live thing. You’re an idiot.” Donna stared at this comment, while Alec grinned at her. “You truly think I would leave you homeless?”

“Thank you, Alec. Really,” Donna began, smiling again, although it was somewhat forced. “But where I’m gonna live wasn’t the whole point. Someone who has absolutely no care for my well being knows where I live. They have been in my house. They have been through my stuff. Private stuff. That’s just…. You really can’t imagine just how that feels.”

The tears made their way to Donna’s eyes again, this time falling as a single tear rolled down her cheek. She let out a small sob, trying to hide it with a laugh. But the one person she couldn’t fool was Alec. Seeing the tear and hearing the sob, he pulled her towards him and drew her into his arms.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I dragged you into my horror show of a life,” Alec whispered softly to her.

“I’m not sorry you did,” Donna whispered back, holding tight to him. “I love you, Alec. I wanna be with you. Every relationship has difficulties. This is just one of them.”

“Difficulties?” Alec said, pulling slightly away from Donna and holding her cheek gently. “Our difficulties are… very difficult.”

“Yeah. But we can figure them out, can’t we?” Donna said, staring deep into Alec’s eyes and looking for the answer there. “It’s worth it, right?”

“Definitely,” Alec said, smiling widely. “You, darling, are worth a hell of a lot.”

Donna smiled at his words and Alec leaned closer, kissing her. Alec moved his arms, wrapping them round her waist to pull her further into his body. It was then that Donna grimaced slightly, pulling away from his lips.

“Don’t do this to me, Alec,” Donna said with a slight groan. “Every part of my body is aching. I need to relax.”

“Well, you know, there are ways I can help with that,” Alec said cheekily.

“Oh, you think so, do you?” Donna said.

“No, I know so,” Alec said, pulling her back to him.

Right now, all Donna could think was ‘screw this’ as she gave in, lacing her arms round his neck and kissing him deeply. She let him lead her backwards into the bedroom while she felt his hands on her skin, pulling up her top, as she pulled at his jeans. Alec pulled away long enough to pull his top off, then he was flush against her body again, both of them topless. Kicking away his own jeans, Alec began working on Donna’s when his phone rang in the other room. It was Alec’s turn to groan this time.

“Answer that,” Donna said, kissing him lightly and reluctantly pulling away from him. Sighing, Alec left Donna’s side to answer the ringing phone. Looking at the screen, he read ‘MAX’ off the caller ID.

“I’ll deal with you tomorrow,” Alec mumbled to himself, switching off his phone and heading back to his bedroom. Stood in the doorway, Alec looked in to see Donna in the bed, curled on her side under the covers and staring straight ahead of her. Slipping under the covers beside her, Alec wrapped his arm round her and spooned his body round hers. “Are you sure you’re ok?” Alec asked her.

Donna didn’t answer right away. She thought about today, what had happened. And she thought about where she was right this second and how good it felt. She smiled slightly to herself.

“Yeah. I really am ok. Perfectly fine and perfectly happy,” Donna said, cuddling into Alec’s arms. “But I am tired.”

“Go to sleep then,” Alec said, kissing her cheek softly. “I’ll be right here.”

“Good,” Donna muttered sleepily, lying comfortably against the mattress and Alec, closing her eyes as sleep took over her body. Alec watched over her for a moment, listening to her steady breathing, before he too fell asleep.

@~~>~~~

When Alec woke up next morning, he was no longer curled round Donna, his arms empty. Stretching out along the bed, Alec grabbed his jeans and left his bedroom to find her. And he found her in the next room, sat at the table with her morning cup of coffee. She was wearing one of his t-shirts, her legs pulled up to her chest and a book resting on her knees. Alec just leant against the doorframe, smiling as he watched her, oblivious to the eyes on her.

“You know, that shirt actually looks better on you,” Alec said, bringing Donna’s attention to him.

“Why, thank you,” Donna said, smiling as she dropped her feet to the floor and put her book aside. Alec walked over to her, placing his hands either side of the chair, leaning close to her. Smiling himself, Alec leaned even closer and pressed his lips against hers. Donna wrapped her arms round his neck, drawing him even closer as she kissed him back.

“You get any sleep last night?” Alec asked, pulling away from her slightly, resting his forehead against hers.

“Some,” she answered, her arms still wrapped tightly round his neck.

“Just some?” Alec asked.

“I couldn’t really sleep, that’s all. It’s fine,” Donna said.

“So you’re ok this morning, then?”

“Yeah.”

“I mean no aches, pains? No more ranting at me?”

“No, I’m fine,” Donna said, giggling slightly. Stifling her giggles, Alec leaned in and kissed her again, lifting her off the chair slightly. Like last night, they were rudely interrupted, this time by a heavy knocking on the door.

“Oh, this just isn’t fair,” Alec moaned. Donna laughed, pushing Alec gently away from her to answer the door. He did, pulling it open slightly only to have it aggressively pushed further by a pissed off Max.

“Why, after everything, do I still think I can trust you?” Max screamed at Alec as she stormed in, Donna jumping up off the chair at the same time.

“Max, I….” Alec began, trying to explain.

“Logan said you’d do something like this,” Max interrupted. “I don’t know why I keep thinking you’ll chance. Not only do you leave me hanging most of the night, but when I try to call you, you either don’t answer, or it’s turned off.”

“Max, seriously, I can explain,” Alec finally managed to say.

“Go ahead, Alec. I would love to hear it,” Max said, crossing her arms over her chest, flicking her gaze between the two, Alec in only in his jeans and Donna wearing one of his shirts. She was already coming up with what his latest ‘excuse’ could be. Or more like who.

“White attacked. Me and Donna,” Alec said simply. “That’s why Donna’s here. White had men at her work, and he was waiting for her at her place.”

Alec’s excuse, a reliable one, was enough to knock Max silent for a moment. She looked over at Donna who smiled at her, shrugging her shoulders in a way saying that Alec was telling the truth.

“Are you ok?” Max asked Donna, turning to her.

“I’m fine, thanks,” Donna said, wrapping her arms round herself self-consciously. “Just a few aches. Nothing that won’t heal. Lucky for me, Alec was downstairs taking your call.”

“So he’s finally come after you now?” Max said. “So that’s Sam, Asha, and now you Donna.”

“Yep. Looks like White is real desperate to get his hands on you, Maxie,” Alec said.

“It’s not just Max White is after,” Donna said. “He wanted to know where you were Alec. No mention of Max.”

“Makes sense, I suppose,” Max said. “If White really wants me because I’m supposed to be special, than he knows you’re the only other transgenic I’m ever with. He’s gotta think you’re the only connection to me. My family. The only thing I’ll fight for.”

“Well, it’s a shame White doesn’t know just how little you’re willing to do to save my ass,” Alec said with a sly, sarcastic smile. Max just stared at him.

“Look, I really wanna know about all this. The reason why White is tailing me now too. But I would also like to get dressed,” Donna said, looking down at her attire.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t mind grabbing a shirt either,” Alec said, guiding Donna back into the bedroom.

“You never got the chance to say yesterday, but what did ‘Maxie’ want with the phone call,” Donna asked, removing Alec’s shirt and throwing it back at him, searching round for her clothes in her underwear.

“A new transgenic was coming into TC, but there were some problems,” Alec said, grabbing a clean shirt of his own. “Sector police were involved. Since she didn’t really mention it, I guess she sorted it herself.”

“Right. She need your help often?”

“Never used to. Guess she’s only just figuring how useful I can be,” Alec said, watching Donna closely.

“What’s the look for?” Donna said, noticing just how Alec was watching her.

“It’s just with the questions, and the way you said ‘Maxie’ just then,” Alec said, things clicking into place as he said it all. “You’re jealous.”

“Jealous? Of Max? Come on, what have I got to be jealous of Max for?”

“I don’t know, but you are.”

“No, I am not, I’m….” Donna stumbled over her words, looking at the smirk on Alec’s face. And the truth came out. “Ok, so maybe I am a little jealous. I mean… it’s just…. She’s just like you. She’s the same. She’s got that part of you that I can’t touch because I’m… different. And I love you, ok, so that’s gonna hurt a little.

With a soft smile, Alec moved closer to Donna, draping his arms over her shoulders and looking into her eyes.

“That doesn’t matter,” he said gently. “You’ve got the rest. All the important parts, the ones that make me human, are all yours.” Donna smiled herself at this, seeing the truth in Alec’s eyes.

“So, White’s fascination is really with Max, then,” Donna said, kissing Alec gently before getting dressed again.

“Basically,” Alec said. “Killing me and all the other transgenics is just his idea of sport. Why do you ask?”

“I’m just still wondering about all this,” Donna said, sitting on the bed to slip on her boots. “I mean, I know all what you’ve told me about White and his weird cult, I just don’t understand why he thinks he’s gonna get to Max by coming through people like you or me.”

“Max has this thing about her family,” Alec said, sitting beside Donna. “All of her brothers and sisters from Manticore. She’s got this need to protect them, and I’m guessing White knows that.”

“Which is why White’s coming after you, her Manticore brother. He thinks she’ll protect you.”

“Yep. Although Max doesn’t exactly see me as a brother. She sees me as more of a pain in the ass.”

“Really? Because the way both of you tell it, she’s saved your cute ass quite a few times. Although ‘cute’ wasn’t exactly the word she used.”

“Yeah, I guess she has,” Alec said, laughing.

“So I’m the weak element,” Donna said, staring rather intently at her feet. “White figures people like me and Asha and Sam are the ones he needs to talk to if he really wants you, or Max.”

“You worried, babe,” Alec said, noticing something in her voice.

“Hey, I’m never worried about anything,” Donna said, turning to him with a clearly forced smile Alec could see right through. Reaching out, Alec pulled Donna into his arms, feeling her arms instinctively wrap round him and hug him back.

“I can totally understand why you’re worried. Scared even. I know a lot of people who would be in this situation. But you… you have been so amazing when most people would have been running for the hills. But right now, do you know the reason you shouldn’t be scared? Because you’ve got me. I promise, no matter what it takes, you’ll always be safe as long as you’ve got me.”

Donna smiled and cuddled deeper into the warmth that was Alec’s arms. For probably the first time in her life, she actually believed someone when they said they would keep her safe. Right where she was now, she felt more comfort, warmth, love and safety than she had anywhere else in her life.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

“Are we clear, Donna?” Pete finally finished, turning back round to face the girl he had been ranting to for the past 20 minutes. He found her leaning against her hand, clearly bored and not really listening, in a world of her won.

“Donna!” he called louder, making Donna jump slightly and turn her attention back to him. “Have you been listening to a word I’ve been saying?”

“Yes, Pete, I always listen to you,” Donna said with a smile.

“Then what did I say?” Pete asked.

“That I’m a good worker, and you don’t wanna fire me, but I need to start trying to keep my hours. That about right?”

“You know, maybe I should add your attitude to the reason I end up firing you. That’s high up there.”

“Come on, Pete. You and I both know you’re not gonna fire me. I practically help you run this place, and the regulars love me. What do you think would happen if you fired me?”

“I know you’re right,” Pete said after a pause. “But please, Donna, try and make an effort.”

“I promise from now on I will be the model employee,” Donna said, getting to her feet. “I’ve just had a lot on my mind recently.”

“Anything I can help with?” Pete asked.

“No thank you, Pete,” Donna said, smiling genuinely at him.

“I’ve known you and your family a long time, Donna,” Pete said. “It’s probably one of the main reasons I keep you on. I’m your friend as well as your boss, and I know everything you’ve already gone through with your family. So you know you can come to me if you need help with anything.”

"I know. Thank you, Pete, but I think I can handle this one on my own.”

“In that case, I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow morning.”

“That you will,” Donna said, leaving his office. Grabbing her jacket and bag, Donna headed out in a sort of daze, thinking about everything she had on her mind.

It had been a week since Donna had had her encounter with White. Since then, Alec had hardly left her side. Even Max had been more concerned about her safety. It wasn’t that she wasn’t grateful to have people care about her like this, because she was. She really did love Alec, and Max was great to hang out with. But Donna just wasn’t the type of girl who liked depending on others too much.

Her head down and her mind elsewhere as she walked into the street, Donna didn’t notice Alec as he stepped in front of her.

“Hey, babe,” Alec said, making Donna jump slightly and come to a startled stop.

“Jeez, Alec, what are you trying to do to me?” Donna said, steadying her shocked breathing.

“As always, trying to keep you safe. You should know by now I’m your own personal bodyguard.”

“Keeping me safe means not giving me a heart attack, Alec,” Donna said as the pair began walking again.

“Sorry about that, but I wanted your attention, and you seemed real deep in thought back there. You wanna tell me exactly what about?”

“Pretty much everything,” Donna said, looking round where they were and noticing they were still walking quite far away from the bar. “Where’s your bike?”

“I left it,” Alec answered. “Thought it might be nice to walk. That’s ok with you, isn’t it?”

“Fine by me,” Donna said. And for a moment, the pair walked in silence. Alec knew from the short answer and quick change of subject that Donna didn’t want to talk about what was on her mind right now, and Alec didn’t want to push it.

“You know, I did actually want to talk to you about one thing on my mind,” Donna said finally.

“And what would that be?” Alec asked, the pair now walking hand in hand.

“Well, you know I appreciate this whole bodyguard thing you’ve got going here with me. The same thing with Max and her concern for my well being. Between the two of you, I don’t think anyone can get to me, let alone White. Although, I’ve gotta admit, I can’t really understand what Max would actually get out of protecting me.”

“She knows I love you. She may think of me as a pain in the ass most of the time, but I am still part of her Manticore family. She knows what happens to a person when they lose someone they love. She doesn’t even want me to go through that. Not again, anyway.”

“Right,” Donna said, knowing somewhere in there was a reference to Rachel that he didn’t want to go into fully. “The actual point of this was how I don’t like feeling like I always need someone to protect me.”

“So you’re saying you’d rather fend for yourself now?”

“Yes, and no. Because, like I’ve said, I really do feel safe around you with your abilities. But the fact is, as much as I would really love to, I can’t really be around you 24/7. So, I was hoping… maybe I could learn a couple of those skills off you. You could teach me.”

“You want me to teach you how to fight?” Alec said, slightly shocked.

“Yeah,” Donna said. “ I wanna know that if I get jumped by any of those ridiculous cult guys, I’ve got at least a chance of defending myself.”

“But you already have some pretty impressive skills of your own.”

“I knew you were gonna say that,” Donna said, stepping in front of Alec and smiling brightly at him like she was about to make a business proposal.

“I do have skills, but no where near up to par with yours, and definitely not to par with people like White. But if you helped a little, I wouldn’t always have to rely on you to protect me, and would still be safe in those times when you’re not around.”

“You are aware that it took me quite a few years to gain my ‘skills’, as you say.”

“Yes I am. And you know, it really does not bother me at all if I have to spend every second with you until I get there,” Donna said, draping her arms across Alec’s shoulders.

“Well, if you put it that way….” Alec said, holding her close to him.

“So you’ll do it? You’ll help me increase my ass kicking abilities?”

“Your ass kicking abilities?” Alec repeated with a slight laugh.

“Yes, my ass kicking abilities,” Donna said, the two of them walking again.

“Ok,” Alec said, slinking his arm round her and feeling hers wrap round him. “If you’re sure, then I’m game.”

“Really? You’ll really help me, teach me to fight better?”

“Of course.”

“Thank you,” Donna said, jumping up to kiss his cheek and cuddling into his side as they carried on walking.

@~~>~~~

Now the world knew about them, the transhumans had made Terminal City there own, transgenics like Max and Alec helping them with supplies. All the chemicals still in the air meant it was perfectly safe for the Manticore kids with their immunity, but ordinaries like Donna or Logan or OC couldn’t stay there for long. Which is why Alec was always reluctant for Donna to stay a long time, just like now.

“Ok, you wait here, I’m gonna find out if the training room is free,” Alec said, leaving Donna by the entrance to the control room.

Donna happily stayed right where she was, watching everything around her. She was more than used to it by now, and ok with it, as she stood around all the different mutants. Staring into the control room, Donna smiled in greeting as Dix and Luke, the computer literate mutants, waved hello, them used to seeing her too.

“Hey there, pretty,” a voice said into her ear from behind her, making her jump slightly. She turned to come face to face with a smiling Biggs, the only other male transgenic X series she knew.

“Biggs, hi, you scared me,” Donna said, smiling back.

“Sorry about that. Years of stealth training are kinda hard to forget. So, to what do we owe the honour of your presence?”

“You know, just thought I’d come down and see how all my dear friends are managing with their relocation to Terminal City.”

“You tagged along with Alec, then,” Biggs corrected her statement.

“Of course,” Donna said with a laugh as they were joined by the man in question.

“Hey guys,” Alec said, stopping beside them.

“Hey there, buddy,” Biggs said to him.

“Ok, I’m gonna take my girlfriend now before she continues to be hit on by another transgenic,” Alec said with a smile while Donna and Biggs laughed, waving their goodbyes as Donna walked away with Alec.

“The training room’s free?” Donna asked.

“The training room’s free,” Alec told her, guiding her to it.

@~~>~~~

The two stood on either side of the training room, their gazes locked and neither backing down first.

“You sure you wanna do this?” Alec asked.

“I’m sure,” Donna said with a sly smile. “My skills may be good, but not good enough.”

“You know you’re not gonna get much out of this,” Alec said, a sly smile reaching his own lips.

“And why’s that?”

“Because I’m really not the kinda guy who likes beatin’ on the woman he loves.” Donna smiled then, still stood opposite him in her fighting stance, not moving.

“You wanted to do this, you know,” Alec continued. “You wanted to… I think your words were ‘increase your ass kicking abilities’. You’re gonna have to come at me first, so I know what you’re really capable of.”

“We’ve got another problem then,” Donna said, now her turn to smile slyly at him.

“And what’s that?”

“Because I’m really not all that keen on attacking the man I love,” Donna said, dropping her stance.

“You forget,” Alec said, deciding for a different approach. “I’m a transgenic with natural abilities. It’s not exactly like you can actually hurt me. Besides, you’re a girl and….”

That did it. Just about giving him enough time to block, Donna swung out at him. Alec dodged to the side, grabbing hold of her wrist before it could make contact.

“Something I said,” Alec said. Donna’s reply was to swing out again, and Alec again easily caught her wrist. Her arms crossed over her chest, Alec turned Donna, her back to him. “Quite done,” Alec asked.

“No,” Donna replied before throwing her body forward and Alec to the ground. She rolled her body away from his, standing at his feet.

“Now I’m done,” she said, smiling down at him.

“You do know I was only trying to piss you off to get you to take a swing at me.”

“It worked,” Donna said, holding her hand out to pull Alec up. He took her offered had, pulling her down and swiping her legs from under her so she landed beside him.

“I know,” Alec said, leaning up on his elbow, looking down at Donna. She smiled up at him and Alec leaned down further, capturing her lips with his.

“You know, this isn’t exactly training,” Donna said, pushing him away slightly.

“Your point,” Alec said, leaning in and kissing her again. This time, Donna gave in, one arm wrapping round his shoulders and the other tangled in his hair, his hand resting against her waist. It wasn’t until his hand began pulling slightly at her jeans that she pushed away again, moving Alec onto his back and straddling his hips.

“You know, I think you might have been right,” Donna said with a sly smile.

“About what?” Alec asked.

“Us training together. I’m really not gonna get much done with you as my tutor.”

And again, Donna leant done and captured Alec’s lips with hers. And when she felt Alec kiss her back, their ‘training session’ went from one kind of physical exertion, to a totally different and more enjoyable one that still left them pretty breathless.

@~~>~~~

Curled up against each other after, the cold breeze flowing in from the window didn’t even seem to affect Donna, the heat radiating from her body enough to cause a flood in the Antarctica as her breathing slowly came back to normal.

“Well, that wasn’t exactly what we came in here for,” Donna said, cuddling closer into Alec’s chest.

“No, but I definitely enjoyed doing that with you over fighting with you,” Alec said. Laughing slightly, Donna turned up to Alec and reached for his mouth, kissing him deeply.

As was usual in this kind of situation for these two, they were interrupted by a sharp and almost impatient knocking on the locked door.

“Alec, are you in there?” a gruff voice spoke through the door.

“Mole?” Alec called back, questioning.

“Yeah. You wanna open the door?”

“Right. Be with you in a sec,” Alec called back, the two clambering to their feet and grabbing their clothes. Donna took her clothes into the side room as Alec quickly slid into his clothes, pulling his top back on as he opened the door to Mole. “What is it, Mole?” Alec asked.

“You’re needed in the control room,” Mole said, to which Alec groaned angrily. “You busy or something?” Mole finished.

“Sort of,” Alec said just as Donna hopped out of the side room, fully clothed and pulling on her boots.

“I see,” Mole said, the same look in his eyes Donna was used to seeing by now. Mole didn’t trust ordinaries like her. He still saw them as the bad guys, no matter what Max and Alec tried to tell him and people like Donna or Logan.

“What am I needed for?” Alec asked, keeping the conversation on the business at hand.

“No idea,” Mole said. “Max just told me to come get you.”

“Got it. Tell her I’ll be right there,” Alec said. Mole nodded at him, leaving, and Alec turned to Donna. “You wanna come with?” Alec asked, to which they heard a distinct scoff from Mole outside the door.

“I don’t think Lizard Boy out there thinks that’s a good idea,” Donna said.

“My name is not Lizard Boy,” Mole said, popping his head back round the door. “It’s Mole.”

“I’ll call you Mole when you stop looking at me the way you do.”

“Sorry, love, not gonna happen.”

“Fine… Lizard Boy,” Donna said with a smile.

“You know, you are just….” Mole began, stepping back into the room. Knowing these two the way he did and knowing neither one was gonna step down first, Alec thought this would be a good time to separate the two.

“Ok, let’s back this down a couple of notches,” Alec said before turning to Mole. “Mole, go tell Max I’ll be right there.” With a final glare at Donna, Mole left again.

“Don….” Alec said, turning back to her and defiantly staring her down.

“He started it,” Donna said, looking down at her feet like a young kid being told off

“God, it’s like dealing with children,” Alec said. Donna looked up at him, flashing him one of those beautiful smiles that made him agree to anything.

“Seriously, do you wanna come down with me?” Alec asked. “Not counting Mole, pretty much everyone trusts you.”

“I know they do,” Donna said. “But it’s fine. I don’t need to come with.”

“You sure, because I gotta go,” Alec told her. “It might be something important, like on White.”

“I know,” Donna said. “I’ll just meet you at your apartment.”

“Be there as soon as I can and I’ll tell you everything. Promise,” Alec said, leaving her with a lingering kiss as he went to see what Max wanted.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Alec’s meeting with Max must have taken longer than Alec had expected because soon, Donna got bored of waiting. She had instead curled up in his bed, falling asleep pretty much the minute her head hit the pillow and knowing she would now have to wait until morning until she got the new information off him.

Not too long later, Donna was woken abruptly by the sound of crashing coming from the next room. She turned to her side and saw Alec’s side of the bed still empty and unslept on. Picking up her robe from the floor, she made her way into the living room as she slipped it over her body. That’s when she saw Alec, kicking the walls and chucking things about the room.

“Alec, what are you…?” She squealed suddenly and ducked as God knows what came flying across the room, shattering above her head where she would have been standing. “Ok, I really think you should stop this before one of us gets hurt! Namely me!” Donna screamed over the crashing items. The crashing and banging stopped as Alec finally looked up, seeing Donna crouched on the floor, covering her head.

“Donna?” Alec said, causing her to look up. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were in here. You ok?” Alec asked as he stepped up to her, holding his hand out to her.

“Am I ok?” Donna said as she took his offered hand and pulled herself up. “I’m not the one tearing up the apartment. What’s up?”

“I’m good. Just a little pent up anger.”

“Pent up anger over what?”

“Nothing, really, it’s just….”

“Alec, we’ve had this discussion before. You. Can’t. Lie. To me. I seem to be the only one that sees through you.” Alec laughed at this, pulling slightly away from Donna now she was on her feet again. “So, you gonna tell me what’s up?” she asked.

“Biggs. He was found out and an angry mob got to him before we could,” Alec said, his back turned to her so he didn’t see the shock and pain flash across her features. “They beat him, killed him, strung him up and displayed him for everyone to see just what happens to us transgenics out in the real world.”

“Alec, I’m so sorry,” Donna said softly, pushing away her emotions for a moment to comfort him. “I know you and Biggs were close. I’m sorry that my kind just don’t seem to understand your kind.”

“Some of your kind do,” Alec said, smiling pointedly at her.

“Yeah, a handful.”

“Don’t I know it,” Alec said, sighing exhaustedly. “I’m just sick of it. All any of us ever wanted was to be treated somewhat like human beings and to live a normal life, but who am I kidding. Who were any of us kidding, that’s never gonna happen. Not now they know about us. Pain and suffering, that’s all my people get out of this life. And me, I’m just sick of it!”

Alec punctuated his last line by kicking another half broken item across the room before sliding down the wall he was leaning against. Donna watched him for a minute before kneeling beside him, drawing him close to her body.

“I’m not even gonna pretend to know how you feel Alec, because I don’t. I can’t. And I’m not gonna sit here and tell you everything’s gonna be ok and turn out for the best, because I don’t know that it will. All I can tell you is you’ve gotta have hope. Real cliché, I know, but the truth. You’ve just gotta keep hoping that someday, it’ll get better.”

Alec heard her words, but he wasn’t truly listening. He was hugging close to her, his head resting against her chest, just relishing in the comfort he always felt when he was with her. In just those simply little moments, he could make himself believe his life was somewhat normal. He felt her arms wrapped round him, her hand stroking gently through his hair, and the soft kiss she pressed on top of his head. Such simply acts that meant the world to Alec.

“You all right?” Donna asked quietly.

“Yep, just fine where I am,” Alec said cheekily, his old self back as he hugged his head closer to her chest. Understanding exactly what he was getting at, Donna playfully pushed Alec’s body away from her, giggling slightly.

“Geez. Well at least I know you feel better,” Donna said as she made an attempt to stand up.

But before she could move too far from his side, Alec pulled her down again, moving her onto his lap and kissing her almost harshly, desperately. The closeness he needed more than anything. Just to be with her. Donna wrapped her arms round his neck, eagerly kissing him back and positioning herself more comfortable across his lap.

“You seem to have come quite a long way, Alec,” Donna said, pulling away from Alec’s lips but staying wrapped round him, her legs round his waist and arms round his neck.

“Meaning?” Alec said, holding her close.

“That first night with us, when I sat pretty much the whole night and you told me everything. You told me all about what you’d done in the past and I listened closely, took it in. And between what you were back then, when Max let you out, and now… such a difference. You’ve… matured, shall we say. And I’m sure Max would say the same.”

“I really doubt that one, honey.”

“You said it yourself. She comes to you a little more now, relies on you. She could only trust you like that if you’d truly grown. Look at you now. Your little emotional state over how you’re not being treated human. The soldier you used to be would never think like that. It seems the normal life, people like me, really have had one hell of a good effect on you.”

“Do you know how incredible insightful you are.”

“I’ve been told.”

“So tell me, what is a little miss smart and insightful like you doing with the big kid here, seemingly matured or not?”

“Lowering my standards, I guess,” Donna said with a cheeky smile. With a look of mock offence, Alec playfully dug Donna’s side, pulling her a little closer. “You know, you are like three different people Alec, and I never know who I’m gonna get,” Donna said, resting her forehead against his.

“What do you mean?” Alec asked.

“Well, first there’s the street wise smart ass. Always trying to get something for nothing. Then there’s the soldier. The Manticore kid who’s always ready to kick ass. And then…. Then there’s the one you hardly see. The emotional guy who’s willing to talk to people like his girlfriend about his feelings.”

“I’m really all that complicated?” Alec said.

“Yep,” Donna replied. “And it amazes me at times how easily you can switch between the three.”

“But it’s not all bad, right?” Alec asked, smiling at her slightly nervously.

“No. Doesn’t change the fact that I love you,” Donna said with a slight smile, leaning into Alec and hugging him. “All three of you.”

“Very funny,” Alec said, digging Donna playfully in the side again as he held her.

“Yeah, well, I thought so,” Donna said, pulling away from Alec to look him in the face again. “Anyway, you never told me what Max wanted.”

“Well, we never really got to the main point of the conversation, I don’t think. We were talking about the cult and White, although I do know Max didn’t have any new info. That was the cause of today’s bad mood. That was when the whole Biggs thing happened.”

“So, no new info on White?” Donna asked.

“No,” Alec said. “Which, I might add, is something else I just wanna get out of my life. White and his idiotic cult. Because this time it’s not just me and mine getting targeted. It’s people like you who end up getting caught in the crossfire and hurt as well. You know, I just….”

“Alec, sweetie,” Donna stopped him abruptly. “I repeat the whole I love you deal, but I don’t think another rant is the best thing for you right now. And, no offence, but it isn’t for me either.” Alec actually did stay quiet. He just sat, staring up at Donna with an odd expression on his face.

“Although, if you think it will help, go right ahead,” Donna added quickly.

“No, you’re right,” Alec said. “Sitting here ranting does nothing. As they say, ‘actions speak louder than words’.”

“Yes. That is the attitude I’m used to hearing from you, Alec.”

“Thank you. Now, as much as I like how we are right now, I think you might need to get up. I’m sat in an awkward position and I’m losing the feeling in my legs.”

“Sure thing,” Donna said, climbing off Alec’s lap and standing as he did the same. “Speaking of the whole actions thing, we still haven’t got round to the me helping with that deal. I mean, our last training session didn’t really go according to plan.”

“You still serious about that?”

“Of course. Are you still serious about helping me?”

“Of course. Just name when,” Alec said.

“I don’t know. Right now, I just wanna relax since my sleep was interrupted,” Donna said, flopping down onto the couch.

“Sorry about that. But I am with you on the whole relaxing thing after the day I’ve had.”

“Oh, it’s just a shame I really don’t have enough energy to make it to the bedroom.”

To her comment, Alec simply gave a sly smile from his position above her. Stepping over to the couch, Alec slipped his arms round her and scooped a very surprised Donna up into his arms.

“Alec, what are you doing?” Donna said through a slight giggle. “Where are you taking me?”

“Bedroom,” Alec said simply.

“Fine. Take me wherever you want, Alec, and do with me whatever you want,” Donna said, leaning forward to kiss Alec as he took her into the bedroom for true relaxation.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

As promised and agreed, Alec and Donna had been having training sessions in the Terminal City training room. Which meant Donna knew her way round all the buildings there better than anywhere else. So now, on her own after the training session, Donna wandered into the control room where Dix and Luke were at work as usual and Max was stood at the table in the centre.

“Hey, Max. What’s up?” Donna said, stepping up beside Max.

“Hey, Don,” Max said, smiling at her. “Logan’s been asking for more computer junk for Eyes Only again. You know where Alec is?”

“Still in the training room when I left him. Why?”

“I need someone to take this stuff down to him. I think some of the transhumans around here might draw a bit too much attention, and I… well….”

“Right,” Donna said when Max trailed off. “I kinda get why you don’t wanna go down.” Donna knew Max and Logan’s story with the virus. How Max had almost killed the guy a couple of times when she had accidentally touched him and now she wasn’t seeing him anymore to keep him safe. And she felt sorry for the girl.

“You know, I could take it to him,” Donna offered

“You sure?” Max asked.

“Yeah. It’ll give me the chance to meet the guy finally. Besides, Alec will be down soon shooing me out anyway. Chemicals and all.”

“Thanks, Don,” Max said, piling all the different found pieces of computer equipment into a bag beside them.

“No problem,” Donna said, hoisting the bag over her shoulder and leaving to finally meet Max’s on-off ‘not-a-boyfriend’.

@~~>~~~

Since Logan’s apartment had been trashed by White and his guys, Logan had taken over Joshua’s old place, Father’s house. It was a step down from his old high-class apartment, but at least it was a roof over his head. And at least from here he could still help out the transgenics the best he could. And Max. Which also meant getting Eyes Only back up and running, to do which meant he needed more computer stuff.

Asking Max to find the computer stuff, Logan thought she would be the one to bring it. That he would be able to see her. But no, she was sending someone in her place. She was still avoiding him. He knew the reason, and part of him understood her fear, but another part of him just desperately wanted to see her.

He had to admit, however, that he was intrigued to meet the girl Max was sending. She was the girl who had managed to pin down the transgenic player that was Alec.

“You must be Logan,” a female voice spoke into the silence, knocking him from his thoughts. Logan looked up to see a pretty redhead leaning casually against the doorframe.

“Yes. Which means you must be Donna,” Logan said. The girl smiled brightly and nodded.

“Hey there. I believe I have something you need,” Donna said, placing the bag slung over her shoulder on the table in front of Logan.

“Oh, this is perfect,” Logan said, searching through the contents of the bag. “Thanks for bringing this down.”

“No problem,” Donna replied, collapsing back into the chair she always sat on in this house, looking round at the new layout of the place.

“I guess you’ve been here before then,” Logan said with a smile of his own.

“Yep, with the previous owner,” Donna said.

As the two of them sat there talking for a while, Logan began to understand how and why this girl had managed to steal Alec’s heart.

From the minute she walked into the room, Logan could see that Donna was a beautiful young woman. Her soft red hair and sparkling green eyes were a compliment to her smiling face, milky smooth skin and toned body. But it wasn’t just her looks that made her a great girl. She was a pleasure to be around. She was the kind of girl you could talk to, laugh with and feel totally natural around. If anyone could tame Alec, he could understand why it was this girl.

But still, there was only ever one transgenic or woman on Logan’s mind.

“Donna, can I ask you a question?” Logan said.

“Shoot,” Donna replied, switching her position on the chair to tuck her legs under herself.

“Is it working? I mean, you being in a relationship with a transgenic.”

“Yeah,” Donna answered easily. “It’s different from any normal relationship, but they aren’t exactly normal. And you should know that’s not a bad thing.”

“Because of Max,” Logan said.

“Not exactly,” Donna replied with a smile. “I watch your hacks.”

“What?” Logan said, trying to hide his shock.

“I know you’re Eyes Only.”

“How?” Logan asked, not able to hide the shock this time.

“What, you think Max and Alec never mentioned you in conversation. Under the name ‘Logan’, of course, but with what they said about Eyes Only as well, I kinda put two and two together and got you.”

“How intuitive of you.”

“I’m like that,” Donna said with a smile, until she saw the look on Logan’s face. “Look, I know you probably don’t like a lot of people knowing, but….”

“You seem like the kind of girl I can trust,” Logan finished. “I can see that already.”

“You can,” Donna said, her smile back. “Trust me, that is. You wanna know something, although I don’t think you should ever tell Alec.”

“Unlikely,” Logan said honestly.

“Right,” Donna replied. “Look, I’m not saying I’m like one of those idiotic picketers outside of Terminal City. But, no matter how much I love Alec now and trust him, Max, even Joshua with my life, it wasn’t always like that.”

“Really,” Logan said, not sure what else he could say right now.

“Really,” Donna repeated. “I guess I just wasn’t sure what to think really. All I knew of the transgenics was what I saw on the news. All bad. Then you come along with your Eyes Only broadcasts. You were the first person brave enough to say what you really thought and tell people that actually, these transgenics aren’t all evil at all.”

“So you’re saying that… made you see sense, so to speak.”

“Sort of. I mean, I always sort of knew somewhere in the back of my mind that transgenics weren’t as bad as people made out. I just needed someone else to say it out loud before I did. I guess I just wasn’t as brave as you.”

“I’m the reason you’re now somewhat openly affiliated with the transgenics?”

“Again with the sort of. Because if I wasn’t so ok with the whole transgenic thing, I’d probably have kicked Alec out of my apartment the minute I found out.”

“Right. I think I’m kinda understanding the whole ‘don’t tell Alec’ thing.”

“Yeah. Alec can be real sensitive when he wants to be. You know, I think all I ever needed was to see things from a perspective like yours. Because the more time I spend with Alec, the more I love him and realise just how much like everyone else he really is. All of them are, even the so-called monsters like Joshua.”

“Not everyone thinks like that, though,” Logan said. “Some people, those ridiculous picketers for example, really don’t care just how human Max, Alec or Joshua may actually be. They pay too much attention to what the reporters are saying. Or should I say being told to say.”

“By who exactly?” Donna asked.

“There’s only one person I can think of who has the means, not to mention the motive, to pull off something like this. Someone who really wants these guys dead. It can only be….”

“White,” Donna said at the same time as Logan.

“Well, I guess you’ve had the pleasure of meeting our good old Ames White, then,” Logan said.

“Not that I’d really call it a pleasure, but yeah,” Donna said. “It appears I am now well and truly on White’s list.”

“Really not a good place to be,” Logan said.

“No, which I’m guessing of course you know from personal experience,” Donna said with a small smile before looking down at her watch. “Jeez, I guess time really does fly. Which of course means Mole is on watch at the gate. I was actually hoping to avoid that.”

“So I’m guessing you don’t actually get along with Mole, then.”

“I don’t think Mole gets on with any Ordinary. Doesn’t even try. He is, in my opinion, the transgenic equivalent of those picketers.”

“And how exactly do you figure that?”

“Well, he’s got the same ideas, just played out on the opposite members. He hates Ordinaries just as much as they hate him, and he’s got his own special ways of taking it out on them, usually through you and me.”

“I see where you’re coming from,” Logan said with a slight laugh as Donna stood to leave.

“Well, it was great finally meeting you,” Donna said, holding out her hand to Logan.

“Same here. And thanks for bringing down this stuff for me,” Logan said, taking her offered hand.

“No problem. See you soon,” Donna said, leaving the house with a friendly smile in Logan’s direction.

@~~>~~~

From Logan’s, Donna made her way back to Terminal City. She didn’t stay there often, couldn’t because of the toxins harmful to Ordinaries, but she did go there when she knew that was where Alec was for the day. Getting closer to TC, Donna knew she was about half an hour later than she had planned to be but she had lost track of time, like she had said before. She had finally gotten the chance to meet the infamous Logan, aka Eyes Only, that Max and Alec always spoke about.

Coming up to the main gates of Terminal City Donna saw, as expected, Mole stood on guard duty and heaved an exasperated sigh. She was so not looking forward to this.

“Hey there,” she said with what she hoped was her most cheerful smile. All Mole did was continue to glare at her. “And you’re just gonna stand there, aren’t you.”

“I am on guard for the night,” Mole said with a cocky smile. “I’m the one who mans who gets through.”

“I am not in the mood for this. Seriously, you’ve got to get over this whole ‘us and them’ thing. I did, so why can’t you.”

“You don’t seem to have gotten over it when it comes to me.”

“Yeah, well, I have this thing about treating people as they treat me,” Donna said as she moved to walk past Mole. Mole, however, moved so he was stood in her way.

“Come on, what is your problem?” Donna yelled at him. “I mean your real problem, with me.”

“I think I’ve made it perfectly clear to both you and Logan that I don’t trust you,” Mole told her. “I don’t see why I should trust any of your kind.”

“There’s your problem right there,” Donna said. “Trust goes both ways. Give me one good reason why I should trust you if you don’t trust me.” Mole, at this point, had no answer for her. And Donna could see that.

“Alec trusts me. Max trusts Logan. That should be enough, right.” Again, Donna moved to head inside and again, Mole stood in her way, glaring menacingly at her.

“What, are you trying to prove to me that the papers are right?” Donna said, holding his glare. “Prove that you guys really are monsters.”

Again, Mole was silent. Despite his tough guy act, he wasn’t about to start a mutiny within the ranks. And when the one thing Max and Alec truly cared about were their ordinary significant others, ‘proving the point’ as Donna had put it would only encourage that mutiny.

“I known there are a lot of my kind out there that want to see you hung, drawn and quartered, but not me. I’m on your side,” Donna said, finally sweeping past him. “I’m not the bad guy here… Mole.”

Walking further into Terminal City, Donna knew that Mole was still watching her, probably glaring at her. In the time Donna had spent with Alec, she had also spent a lot of time with his transgenic family, people like Max and Joshua. She had gotten to know them, gotten to like them, and they all seemed to get along with her. All but Mole. Donna had a feeling that it was going to take a hell of a lot more to get on his good side.

The streets of Terminal City were unusually empty for this time of day so Donna chose an old bench outside one of the rundown stores to sit at. Somewhere that she could see a lot of the main buildings. In the control room, she could see Dix and Luke working on the computers as always. Joshua was in one of the abandoned small warehouse buildings he had converted into his art room, his easel set up in front of him. Max was sat alone in a room beside the control room, a room she had more than likely been using as a small office, the table in front of her covered with a magnitude of different papers which Donna took a wild guess had something to do with the virus between her and Logan. Most of her time and effort these days was put into trying her hardest to find that cure, and Donna couldn’t blame her. If there was something stopping her from being with the man she loved, she would do everything in her power to find a way around it.

Sat lost in her thoughts, the next thing Donna felt were comforting arms wrapping themselves round her waist and warm breathe against her ear as someone rested their head against her shoulder.

“You’re late,” Alec’s voice whispered softly in her ear, and she could see the smile on his face before she even turned her head to face him.

“Sorry about that,” she said with her own smile. “Lost track of time.”

“That’s alright. You’re here now,” Alec said, moving to sit beside her on the bench and kissing her softly. “Hey.”

“Hey there,” Donna replied.

“So, got any plans for the rest of the day?” Alec asked her.

“No, I’m all yours,” Donna replied, wrapping her arms round Alec’s neck and pulling closer into him until her head was leaning against his shoulder. “Always.”


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Letting a deep sigh roll past his lips, Alec pulled to a stop outside of Jam Pony after his fifth delivery of the day. And each of them had been as far from work as possible. Looking down at his watch, Alec saw it was close to closing and prayed Normal didn’t give him some last minute delivery.

Walking through the doors, Alec saw a familiar and welcome figure he hadn’t seen here before. Donna was stood against one of the pillars opposite the front desk, her back to him as she was in deep conversation with OC and Sketchy. He felt the smile tugging at the corner of his lips before his mind could even register it. There was just something about Donna where her mere presence in a room could make his day brighter.

OC and Sketchy being the ones facing him, they were the first to notice him and his grin. Before they could acknowledge his presence, Alec motioned for them to be quiet, say nothing. OC just smiled slightly, turning back to Donna and slyly pinching Sketchy to make sure he kept quiet.

Using natural stealth methods that had been drummed in to him when he was a child, Alec quietly crept up behind Donna, standing inches away from her. When she didn’t notice him, Alec leant further forward, stopping close to her ear but not close enough she would feel him behind her.

“Well, this is a nice surprise,” he whispered softly to her, making her jump with a gasp, turning to see him grinning at her.

“Alec!” she groaned, slapping him across the chest. “Don’t do that. You scared me half to death.”

“Sorry, babe, but I couldn’t help it,” Alec said, laughing.

“Next time, try,” Donna told him.

“Anyway, what are you doing at my work?” Alec asked. “Don’t you have your own place of work to be, with a boss who, if I remember, has a thing about you being late.”

“Day off,” Donna answered simply. “I thought I’d come down here, see you guys.”

“Right,” Alec answered.

“Oh, don’t sound so thrilled about me coming to see you,” Donna said with mock offence. “You know, if you really don’t want me here, I’m sure there are other places I can be. Other people who actually want to see me.”

Giving Alec a pointed look, Donna made to move past him and out the door. That was until she was pulled back, Alec reaching out and grabbing her hand to pull her back to his side.

“That’s not what I meant and you know,” Alec said in a low almost husky voice.

“Yeah, but I just like hearing you say it sometimes,” Donna said with a wide smile. Alec smiled himself, opening his mouth to say something, but another voice booming round the workplace stopped him.

“All right you slackers,” Normal called to his employees as he came round his desk. “More work, less chat. Bip bip bip!” Stopping in front of their little group, Normal’s eyes fell on Donna.

“You? Do you work here?” Normal asked her.

“No,” Donna answered.

“It that case, move along. I don’t need you distracting my workers.” Seeing Donna’s hand clasped in Alec’s, Normal looked her up and down.

“Do not look at me like that,” Donna said, her confidence kicking in at the look in his eyes, assessing whether she was good enough for his Golden Boy. “I am not one of your workers, so no bossing me around. I’ll leave when I’m ready, don’t worry.”

Normal just stared at her, mouth open. He was used to his workers like Max and OC talking to him like that, but not total strangers. Donna continued to stare back at him, eyebrows raised. When he continued to stare, Donna just swatted him away with a motion of her hand. Bemused, and with his mouth still gaping open, Normal turned on his heels and went back to his desk. With Normal gone, Alec let out the burst of laughter he had been holding in.

“Do you understand why I love this girl,” Alec said, swinging his arm round her shoulders and hugging her into his side.

“Yep,” OC said, smiling at the couple. “You’ve definitely done good this time, pretty boy.” Donna smiled, taking the compliment off OC as what it was.

“You’re staying, right?” Alec said, pulling slightly away from Donna and looking down at her.

“Of course,” Donna said with a wide smile.

“Good, but I gotta go on a run. I’ll see you later.” Gently kissing her forehead, while Normal gave them an odd look, Alec strode out of Jam Pony, Donna’s eyes on him the whole time.

“Oh, that boy is smitten, honey,” OC said, bringing Donna’s attention back to her.

“What?” Donna asked.

“Oh, don’t tell me you don’t see it, girl,” OC said. “The way that boy is with you, just how he looks at you, anyone can tell you have well and truly stolen his heart. I mean, that smile he had on his face when he saw you….” It was now that OC realised she was seeing that smile again, only this time it was spread across Donna’s lips.

“Kinda like the smile you got now,” she said, only making Donna smile brighter, if that was possible. “You, girl, really love him, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I really do,” Donna answered, making OC smile this time.

Suddenly, Donna, OC and Sketchy’s attention, as well as everyone else in Jam Pony, was drawn outside by the sound of sirens and gunfire.

“What the hell is going on out there?” OC asked to no one in particular. Her question was answered as the commotion came in to them, OC and Donna’s mouths dropping open at what they saw.

Alec was heading back into Jam Pony, only this time he wasn’t alone. Mole was with him, pushing him in front of him at gunpoint point while Joshua and two others, a pregnant woman and a young boy who Donna didn’t recognise, followed.

“Oh, this should be interesting,” Donna heard Alec mutter, his eyes flicking over to Donna and OC as he was pushed inside.

“Jumpin' George Dubya,” Normal declared, voicing the shock everyone in the building felt.

“This cannot be good,” OC muttered beside Donna.

“Got a back door?” Mole asked Alec.

“Yeah,” Alec answered.

“All right, nobody move!” Mole called out as he continued to push Alec towards the back of the building, Joshua and the other two following, Joshua’s eyes quickly catching with OC and Donna.

“They've got my boy,” Normal said, rushing back behind his office desk to grab something.

Donna, however, was paying little attention to what Normal was doing. She was still watching after where the group of five had just gone, listening closely for any other sound. But all she could hear were more sirens and shouting, no words coming out distinctly from either the police outside or what she recognized as Alec’s voice. But it was the last sound that scared her. One single gunshot, extremely close by.

She suddenly felt like she could breath again when Alec came running back into the main room, the other four behind him. Looking him over quickly, Donna sucked in another breath as she noticed where the sound of the gunshot had come from when she saw the blood running slowly down Alec’s arm from what had to be a gun shot wound.

“Hold it right there, freak show!” Normal yelled, coming to a stop in front of the five. They could finally see what Normal had been searching in the back for as he aimed a gun at Mole and Joshua.

“You're bleeding,” Normal said to Alec, noticing what Donna had.

“Yeah, bullets will do that to you,” Alec said nonchalantly, touching the bullet wound gently to see his fingers come back slightly painted in his own blood.

“Okay, you're safe now,” Normal said softly to Alec, making him sigh.

“No….” Alec began, and in a move quicker than the human eye could catch, Alec blurred forward, twisting Normal’s arm back and wrenching the gun from his hand at the same time Mole aimed his shotgun at the now unarmed Normal. “I'm safe now,” Alec finished, motioning for Mole to lower his shotgun, which he did. Normal, shock evident on his face, kept his eyes glued solely on Alec as behind them, one of the messengers tried to leave.

“No one leaves!” Alec called out. From her right side, Donna just about saw a figure blur forward, recognizing it as Cece, another X5 who Alec had managed to get into Jam Pony.

“Nobody move!” Cece yelled, pulling the fleeing messenger back with enough strength to stop him, but not hurt him

“Cool. Cece’s one of them too,” Sketchy muttered from behind Donna.

“Cece, call base,” Alec called over to the young girl, who nodded and headed to the front desk and the phone. “Tell 'em we're in trouble. Joshua, take the front. Mole, you got the back?”

“Got it,” Mole said, professionally taking up his watch position at the back window just like the soldier he was.

“Kid, what's your name?” Alec said to the young boy they had walked in with.

“Dalton,” the kid answered.

“All right, Dalton, why don't you head upstairs and keep an eye on the street for me?” Alec said, to which Dalton nodded slightly and ran up stairs as requested.

“My golden boy's a mutant,” Normal muttered, bringing Alec’s attention back to the man.

“We prefer ‘genetically empowered’,” Alec retorted.

“Take me, Jesus,” Normal muttered.

“Careful what you wish for,” Mole muttered from the window.

Taking that for what it was, the end of their conversation, Normal backed away with the rest of the Jam Pony crew, giving Donna the chance to move up to Alec, standing beside his wounded shoulder.

“Alec, you’re bleeding,” Donna said softly to him, touching his arm.

“Like I said, bullets will do that to you,” Alec said, turning slightly to her.

“Yeah well, let’s fix it shall we,” Donna said, beginning to pull him away gently.

“I’ll be fine,” Alec said, trying to pull out of her grip, but for once it was her who had the stronger grip on him.

“You’re right, you will be. Once you let me bandage that arm up.”

Alec was about to argue, she could see it in his eyes, but he didn’t get the chance as the sound of breaking glass caught their attention. Alec and Donna, as well as the rest of the building, turned in time to see Max crashing through the window, surfing on top of a hover drone which came to a skidding halt in the middle of the amazed onlookers.

“Hey. Who ordered a pizza?” Max said in greeting with a smirk.

@~~>~~~

Having finally made Alec give in, Donna had him lent against a pillar at the back of the building, his sleeve pulled up while she was carefully and gently applying a bandage to his gunshot shoulder.

“What's that?” Max asked Alec as she stepped up to the pair.

“It's a hole in my body made by a bullet,” Alec answered quite sarcastically.

“Been there, done that. Check the news,” Max said in reply, sweeping away to where Original Cindy was sat with the pregnant woman who had come in with Alec who Donna now knew was Gem, another X5.

“All done,” Donna said to Alec, smiling up at him as she finished applying the bandage. His reply was a weak smile before turning to the TV showing the news in the Jam Pony rec room.

“Ok, what’s wrong, babe?” Donna said to the side of his face with a small smirk, making Alec turn to her with his typical reply already written on his lips. “And don’t say nothing or I will smack you silly, transgenic ability or not.”

This actually got a smile from her boyfriend, although it quickly faded.

“This isn’t going to end well,” he said solemnly.

“Alec, you can’t know that or even think like that,” Donna said, trying to make her voice sound defiant. “We’ve been in this situation a matter of thirty minutes.”

“That doesn’t matter, Don,” Alec told her. “Not to those Ordinaries out there. Every police officer, reporter and picketer out there hates every one of my kind and wants nothing more than to see us dead or sent right back where we came from.”

“Yes, the half a dozen people out there might think that. But there are people, both your friends in here and probably a few out there, who do not think like that Alec.”

“I’m sorry Donna, but right now, those out there are the ones that matter.”

Donna’s expression remained the same, her emotions hidden. She didn’t wanna tell Alec how much that statement had just truly hurt her. If what she thought didn’t matter, if her faith, trust and love in him didn’t matter. If right now she didn’t matter….

There attention was again pulled off their current topic by a flashbulb sparking in the other side of the rooms by the lockers. They turned to see Sketchy, camera up and pointed at Mole, who now had his shotgun pointed at him.

“Hey!” Max called out, pushing Mole’s shotgun away from it’s direction at Sketchy while taking his camera from him. “No more pictures.” She then turned to one of the other messengers, Sky, who had gotten to his feet some time ago and seemed to be the cause of the current commotion.

“Go,” she told him, to which Sky just stammered and stared at her. “Go!”

Not one to make an already agitated Max repeat herself again, Sky rushed off in the direction of the bathroom.

“Who put you in charge?” Mole grated out to Max.

“These people are not the enemy,” Max told him.

“Don't be so sure,” Mole told her.

At Mole’s words, Max looked round the room at all the different faces staring at her, human and transgenic. Donna and Alec followed her gaze, listening in to the conversation. And they saw the same thing. The looks in the eyes of the Ordinaries as they looked upon someone they saw as their capture. Someone they had considered a friend who they now believed had betrayed them, lied to them.

“I always knew you were a wrong number,” Normal muttered in Max’s direction from his position on the bench next to Sketchy. “You never had me fooled for a second there.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Sketchy mumbled. “Transgenic Central, right here under your nose.”

“Shut up,” Normal groaned out at him.

Max paid little attention to his comment, her eyes still traveling across the faces in the room.

“All right, people, listen up. I know things are really tense right now….” Max begin, speaking to the Jam Pony workers, the Ordinaries.

“Gee, I wonder why,” one of the female messengers spoke out, her voice leaking sarcasm.

“But if you'll just sit tight and be patient,” Max continued. “Me and mine will get out of here before you know it.”

“Well, I got a hot flash for you,” Normal said, getting to his feet. “Me and mine are gonna get out of here right now. Let's go, people! Bip bip bip!”

Listening to their boss for once in their careers, the messengers began to climb to their feet, Alec and Donna trying to stop the ones who had been sitting around them in the rec room.

“Hang on. Sit down,” Alec said, gently but forcefully pushing a couple back down in their seats. Mole, on the other hand, was taking a more violent approach as usual, taking an aggressive step towards Normal.

“Go on, take your best shot, frog boy!” Normal yelled in his face.

“Nobody's shootin' at anybody. Now sit your raggedy ass down,” Original Cindy said forcefully, stepping into the center of the chaos.

“Oh, I see,” Normal said to her. “Not only are you one of Sappho's daughters, you're one of them, too.”

“No,” Original Cindy said. “What I am is a friend to Max, and Alec, and Cece, and the rest of 'em. We walk outta here now, and they're toast.”

“Well, I don't have a problem with that,” Normal said.

“Well, I do. And I'm guessing so does anyone else here who's down with my girl. So how 'bout we just take a minute and figure this bitch out, so that nobody else gets hurt. Aiight?”

Original Cindy’s words sent the room into silence for a moment, no one seemingly willing to step up and take a shot at people they had for a long time considered friends, and probably somewhere deep down still did. Max smiled softly at her friend, glad for her support, especially now of all times.

Across the other side of the room, Donna slipped her hand inside Alec’s, giving it a gently squeeze and smiling up at him when he looked down at her. Alec smiled back at her, the smile a lot more sincere than the last. After hearing Cindy’s words, then looking down into the eyes of his girlfriend beside him, seeing the trust and love sparkling in those green depths, Alec suddenly changed his mind about his earlier statement that had cause hurt to sparkle in those eyes, his keen vision seeing it even when she tried to hide it.

The Ordinaries that really mattered were right here in this building.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

The Jam Pony siege still going strong on both sides, all the transgenics and ordinaries inside the building could do was wait. Outside, the streets had turned into your typical media circus, reporters from every station park in their vans, camera crews searching the crowd for someone interesting enough to argue, while the police tried their best to control the situation, keeping the bystanders pinned behind the yellow tape.

With nothing else to do, every eye in Jam Pony was glued to the TV, watching as the reporter picked out members of the picket brigade to interview.

“The economy's bad enough,” one guys screamed at the screen. “You want 'em taking your job? You want 'em living next door, spittin' out their mutant, half-breed kids?”

“These mutant freaks are an affront to nature. They don't deserve to live,” the next one came on saying.

Giving a quick glance over her shoulder, one messenger looked back behind her, at some of those so called freaks who were stood right among the lot of them. Max and Joshua were stood at the back of the group, Joshua with his arms around Max from behind as they watched. Alec was stood a little behind them resting against the pillar, Donna stood beside him and leaning into his side, one of the few ordinaries who was stood shoulder to shoulder along with the transgenics.

“Where's the accountability?” the guy on screen continued to rant. “Who's taking care of this? Nobody! These freaks are running rampant. They get to do whatever they want. They got protection or somethin'? These things aren't natural. They shouldn't be alive. They don't deserve to live. They should be lined up with the scientists and shot like the bunch of rabid dogs they are. These freakoids smashed up my truck. That's taking bread out of my mouth. That's screwing up my job, my livelihood. Who's gonna feed my kid? Who's gonna pay my rent?”

“Really FUBAR, little fella,” Joshua muttered to Max as they watched.

“We just gotta hang tough,” Max said, repeated her mantra for what felt like the fiftieth time that day. “It's gonna be okay.”

“I don't know. The way upstairs people look at me... I don't know if it'll ever be okay,” Joshua said, looking up at the TV as the first man came back on.

“I say kill the freaks, or send 'em back to whatever cesspool they came from! Yeah!” the man side, riling up the crowd behind him as they cheered along with him. Donna, her hand clasped in Alec’s, could feel it as he tensed, feel the grip tightening around her fingers.

“Hey,” she said softly, touching Alec’s cheek and drawing his attention to her. “Come here.” She pulled on his hand, making him move with her as she pulled him towards the back of the lockers, away from where he could see the TV.

“What?” he asked her once they were away from the others.

“Nothing, I just thought I should get you away from the TV before that grip of yours gets any tighter,” Donna said, squeezing his hand right back to emphasise just what she meant. Alec, taking the hint, let go of her hand. “I know you might forget this sometimes, but you could break bones with your strength.”

“Sorry,” he told her, bringing her fingers to his lips and kissing them gently. “Guess I forgot what I was holding onto for a minute.”

“That’s ok,” Donna told him with a smile. “You’re angry, I get it, really.”

“I don’t think its anger I’m feeling right now, Donna,” Alec said, glancing round at all the different occupants of the room. The ordinaries sat round the TV, Gem breathing heavily in the corner with OC by her side, Mole standing guard outside the back window, and young Dalton running down the stairs from his latest watch, Cece having just relieved him. “We’re not all gonna make it out of here, you know that as well as I do, Don,” Alec said, his eyes now holding the brilliant green ones of his girlfriend.

“No, I don’t know that Alec, and neither do you,” she replied. “When did you get so pessimistic?”

“About the same time the mob out there arrived with their signs and theories on what the world should do with us.”

“Again, Alec, I say… actually, I’m not gonna say that, because I don’t think I can ever understand how you feel right now. I’ve never been persecuted the way you guys have.”

“Yeah, good way to cheer me up, baby.”

“I haven’t finished. I may not be able to completely understand how you feel, but I can tell you one thing. Whatever you’re going through, you don’t need to bottle it up and then stream it out by crushing my bones.” This earned her a small laugh from Alec, who reached out to take the hand in question in his own, softly rubbing the pad of his thumb over the back of it. “Despite the fact that you might have spent a lot of years of your life learning to be self sufficient, you don’t have to now. Forget all the training in the past and just remember this. You’re not alone.”

Alec smiled softly at the girl in front of him who, as was her thing, had managed to totally flip around his mood with just a few well placed words, and let her hand drop, taking hold of her waist and pulling her to him.

“And you know, I’m kinda glad it’s you that’s the reason for that,” Alec said, leaning his head against Donna’s as she smiled softly.

“While, don’t get me wrong, I did mean you’ll always have me,” Donna told him. “I’m not the only one. OC, Sketchy, Logan. All of them mere Ordinaries, and all of them willing to put their neck on the block for you. And I bet there are probably a lot of other’s out there on your side. You need to stop thinking about the people that hate you, and start thinking about the people that love you.”

“Have I happened to tell you just how much I love you yet, today,” Alec asked, his smile getting bigger.

“Not today, no,” Donna said, her own smile matching his in strength.

“Well, I do, I love you. A hell of a lot, Donna,” Alec told her, getting serious.

“I love you too, Alec,” Donna replied as he leant closer, closing the gap between them and kissing her softly.

Before too long, the pair were pulled from their embrace as the shrill ring of Jam Pony’s office phone echoed through the building. Alec and Donna looked up just in time to see Max heading towards it.

“If it’s a package, get a number,” Normal cried after her, but Max just ignored him. She knew as she picked up the receiver just who, or what, she would find on the other end.

“Start talking,” Max said, and the residents inside Jam Pony were left just hearing one side of the conversation. “Let's just keep it simple and you call me 452…. I want a van parked outside with a full tank of gas…. Not until I get my transportation and a guaranteed safe passage out of here..,. Just the van. We'll take care of our own.”

Here, Donna looked round at who she had no doubt Max was discussing. Alec, the bandage she had tied over the bullet wound in his arm, and Gem, the young pregnant woman who was groaning on the couch.

“Half when the van arrives, half when we get to our destination…. It's not far. They'll be home for dinner,” Max continued into the phone before hanging up.

“You're dreaming if you think they're gonna let us just drive off into the sunset,” Mole grumbled to Max, moving up to her as she stepped away from the phone. “Get it through your head, the only way they want this to end is with us dead.”

Right now though, no one knew for sure who was right, the pessimistic Mole or the optimistic Donna. All they could do was hope that it was Donna.

@~~>~~~

With nothing else to do while they waited, the TV continued to show interview after interview with the picketers outside the building. Right now, a microphone was being held in front of the face of an elderly woman with a psychotic smile and even more psychotic words.

“Oh, there's no point in discussing human rights,” she said to the reporter. “Since they're not human, so they don't have rights. They don't even have souls. And it's worse than that, because animals don't have souls, but they were meant to be here. These things were never even intended by God to exist. They are an insult to everything in His creation.”

Luckily, no one was really paying much attention to the screen.

Since she had hung up the phone on who she had later told Alec and Donna was Officer Clemente, Max had been pacing the floor in front of Normal’s office, waiting for the phone to ring again. As she paced, Donna watched her as she sat beside OC and Gem, seeing nothing else to do here. And she watched as Sketchy cautiously approached Max, his eyes downcast.

“Hey, Max,” he stuttered. “I was hoping you might possibly be interested in having me interview you about your life as a hot transgenic female on the run in post-Pulse America?”

“No,” Max said simply. As if to really bring the answer home to him, Mole made his presence known, getting into Sketchy’s face and quickly making the young bike messenger sit back down.

“Sorry, dude. Whatever,” he mumbled under his breath, Donna giggling softly at the scene as Mole walked past the three women, glaring down at them.

“Please tell me that he is not the baby daddy,” OC said to Gem, making Donna laugh further.

“He was another X5,” Gem clarified with a shake of her head. “We were breeding partners.”

“That sounds real romantic,” Donna said softly, looking over at Max still pacing the room.

“It wasn't,” Gem said as Donna looked for the other X5 in the room, Alec, who was stood with Joshua by the TV’s.

She knew that he and Max had been breeding partners back at Manticore, Alec had told her that much. And Donna had never really questioned him further on it, a large part of her brain telling her it was out of foolishly misplaced jealousy over the man she loved. Now, looking at Gem and listening to the way she spoke, Donna really didn’t want to know anything about what happened back then.

While Donna was sat contemplating this, the phone rang again, Max springing into life.

“What do you got?” Max asked into the phone, listening on the other end for a moment before hanging up and turning back to the group. “It's on.”

The once quiet, dead building now sprung to life, transgenics shifting Ordinaries into place, some softly like Alec, while others like Mole simply shoved with the butt of his gun. Donna moved herself, not needing to be told, helping OC get Gem to her feet before looking round for Alec. She saw him by the door, swinging the chains open before his eyes searched round for her. By this time, she was at his side.

“How's it look?” Donna heard Max’s voice and turned to find her talking into the phone. She knew the only other person on the end of that line could be Logan, helping them make it out alive. “Yeah, looks pretty messy. Okay.” Pulling the phone from her ear, Max’s voice this time yelled out into the crowd.

“Clemente! I'm gonna need the snipers on the roof pulled back, or no deal!” There was a commotion outside, and Max turned again to talk into her cell phone. “Wish me luck.” Hanging up, Max once again yelled out through the open doors.

“First group's coming out!” Max now turned round to face the group behind her that they were sending out. “Okay, guys, come on. Keep your arms in the air and go slow, all right? Be careful.” The group raised their hands in the air, slowly walking outside, and Donna heard the voice of Officer Clemente for the first time.

“Okay, 452, the keys are in the vehicle. Your ball.”

The first group gone, Max now pulled her attention to the larger group of transgenics and Ordinaries behind her.

“Okay, guys, they're not going to shoot at us,” Max told them. “We got a kid and a pregnant girl. They don't know which ones are transgenic and which aren't.”

“Yeah, well, a couple of us they got a pretty good idea,” Mole said, grabbing Normal and thrusting him in front of him as a human shield. This thought had only just occurred to Donna, remembering that had transhuman with them as well. And one of them was Joshua.

Searching, her eyes fell on him stood just behind her.

“Come here, Josh,” she said softly, moving towards him. Taking his arms, she watched the confusion on his face turn to understand as she pulled his arm round herself in the same way Mole was holding Normal. Smiling down at her, Joshua tightened his hold on Donna, enough to keep her in front of him but not enough to hurt.

“Come on,” Max said to the group, starting to leave but being pulled back by Original Cindy.

“They saw you, boo, flyin' right over their heads. I got you,” OC said, manoeuvring herself in front of Max the same way Donna had for Joshua.

“Thanks,” Max said with a soft smile.

“They don't know about me,” Cece told them.

“Then help me protect my girl,” OC said, pulling her in front of Max as well.

“All right, let's file in, guys. Come on, let's do this,” Max called out as the group slowly started to make their way forwards.

They moved slowly, cautiously, the soldiers within the group on alert from years of training. For the first time since she had entered Jam Pony, Donna got a look at the crowd over something over then a TV monitor. And even she was shocked at the sheer amount. She knew there would be a lot, but the minute she left the relative quiet of Jam Pony, the sound of the shouting protestors was almost deafening. As she walked round the side of the bus parked just for them, she kept herself in time with Joshua, making sure she stayed in front of his hunched form, while keeping her eyes glued to Alec in front of her.

“Max!”

One word screamed into the crowd bellowed louder then all others. Donna looked up to see Logan jump out from within the crowd and on to a stationary van, gun in the air. That one word and action caused more fear than anything, knowing the situation had to be going sour.

“Go! Get back!” Max screamed, sensing the same, ordering them back into Jam Pony. But they were too late, the shots began, and Donna watched as one hit it’s target, sending Cece crumpling to the floor,

The minute the firing began, Donna reached for Alec’s hand as an immediate reaction. And she didn’t have to reach far as his hand was reaching out for hers, pulling her back behind him and out of the line of fire. She did as he was clearly telling her, staying behind him as he, Mole and Logan fired back at the windows, trying to take out the snipers.

“Move! Move! Move! Move!” Max called, her and Mole now dragging Cece’s body back into the building. The rest of the group were close behind, Logan inside with them now. Alec finally let go of Donna’s hand, letting her move as he turned to secure the door. “Fall back! Cover the door! Anyone else hit?”

The crowd universally cried ‘No’, Cece the only one hit. Knowing at least everyone else was safe, Max knelt beside Cece, Logan beside her, and checked her pulse. But Donna, who was stood a few meters away, didn’t need to press her hand against the young X5’s neck to know she was dead. The sniper had hit his mark with precision.

“All right, get down,” Donna heard Mole’s voice shouting into the crowd, manhandling the Jam Pony workers again. “I want everybody on the floor, now. Get down. Stay there. Stay down.”

“They killed her,” OC muttered quiet, her voice filled with shock.

“Go take care of Gem,” Max told her, watching as the still shell shocked OC moved over to Gem, who labour was full blown now with the shock of the situation.

“Why did they do this?” Joshua asked. “We did everything they wanted.”

“This is on you,” Mole said, rounding on Max. “I told you not to trust the cops.”

“It wasn't the cops. It was White,” Logan announced, a sigh of shock going through everyone in the room who knew the man and k new what he was capable of.

“White is out there?” Joshua growled.

“Yeah, White's guys did this,” Logan told them. “They killed Cece.”

“They screwed this whole thing up on purpose to escalate the situation,” Max said.

“Yeah, well, it worked,” Alec said, moving back into the inner group.

“What difference does it make who fired? They all want to see us dead!” Mole screamed.

“Everybody needs to calm down,” Logan said, trying to diffuse the situation that was growing rapidly inside the building.

“I'm not gonna wait around for them to try again,” Mole said as he lunged forward and grabbed hold of the nearest Ordinary in the room. Donna.

“Whoa!” Donna called out as she was almost knocked off her feet.

“What are you doing?” Max asked as she stepped forward, Alec right beside her now.

“Until we get safe passage, we kill one hostage every hour,” Mole said, his grip on both Donna and his shotgun tightening. “Starting now.”

“Let her go!” Logan said, stepping into the conversation as Alec stepped closer to Mole and his girlfriend.

“I don't take orders from your kind,” Mole screamed at Logan.

“No, but you take orders from me,” Max said, stepping forward herself and joining the other. “Now let her go.”

“No! We gotta show them we mean business, or we're dead!”

“That's a good idea,” Logan said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. “Start shooting people, 'cause that's what White wants, and then you can prove you're the monster people think you are.

“Shut up! You're not one of us!” Mole screamed again at Logan.

“No, I'm not. But I'm standing right here with you, aren't I?”

Alec stepped forward, making a move to help Donna, but she didn’t need it. She had already let this go far enough without doing anything.

Using fighting knowledge of her own and what Alec had taught her, Donna elbowed Mole heavily in the gut, winding him long enough to yank the shotgun from his hands, snapping the handle against his face and sweeping his legs from under him. With Mole’s arms detached from her and him now on his back, Donna snapped open the shotgun barrel, emptied out the unused rounds, and snapped it closed again.

“I am on your side, as are a lot of the ordinaries in this room, including Logan,” Donna spat out at Mole. “But try anything like that again, and I won’t be on your side.” Throwing the empty shotgun at Mole’s side, Donna pocketed the rounds and stepped away, Alec’s arm snaking round her waist.

“You ok?” he asked.

“Just fine,” she said, her eyes still on Mole as he got to his feet.

“All right, people, listen up!” Max called into the room. “If we don't stick together, we don't get out of here alive.” She turned her attention to Mole, who had gotten to his feet and was now glaring at Donna.

“You understand that?”

“Okay,” Mole begrudgingly agreed. “But if they come near the building, I start taking them out. Come on, Joshua.”

Mole swept away from the main group, his eyes still on Donna who was watching him just as closely. Once he was gone, Donna turned her attention to Joshua, watching what he would do as he stared at Max.

“Joshua....” Max began to try to reason with him, but he simply turned and followed Mole. “Joshua!” Max called after him, making a step to follow.

“I’d let him go if I was you, Max,” Donna said softly.

Max turned her attention to the girl, staring, not glaring, at her, before she moved over into the main area of Jam Pony. Donna sighed as she watched were Joshua had gone. He may love Max and Alec, and even her to an extent, but right now, when the world outside this building was so against the ‘freaks’, Donna knew that Mole was his only true kin.

“You really alright?” Alec asked Donna, running a hand softly through her hair.

“I think so,” Donna answered softly, but she wasn’t referring to the incident with Mole.

When she was in this building, she could so easily live within her little bubble of ‘everything will turn out alright’. She was in here with people who cared for Alec and Max, who worked with them and knew the real people. But outside… that was a different matter. All they saw were freaks, genetic mutants that were dangerous and needed to be exterminated. And that crowd at side were larger.

For the first time tonight, Donna was no longer 100% sure that everything really was gonna turn out alright.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

A full day, that’s how long they had been trapped in that building now. The sun had long gone down, the moon taking it’s place, and everyone was still where they had been all day, which meant Ordinaries on one side, transgenics on the others… and the inbetweeners like Donna and OC scattered between both groups.

Donna had remained by Alec’s side, the pair sat in comfortable silence as they waited for the outcome. In front of them, Max was pacing, clearly lost in thought, and Donna couldn’t help but watch her. There was just something going on she couldn’t quite put her finger on, something… wrong.

A few minutes later, she knew what it was.

Max suddenly stopped her agitated pacing, her face looking very resolved as she stood before the small group of people she trusted, her friends.

“It's me White wants. I'm going out there,” she announced.

“No way,” Logan said sternly, Alec and Donna moving to get closer, both in clear agreement with Logan. They weren’t risking their friend.

“He wants this thing to end as badly as possible, and I'm not gonna let that happen,” Max told them.

“Max, you're not going out there,” Alec said, Donna in agreement beside him.

“I have to,” Max said defiantly.

“Max, listen to me,” Logan said, producing sheaths of his research paper. “After you left, I translated the new runes on your skin.”

“Is that the message from Father?” Joshua asked, stepping up to them.

“That's right. I think its complete now,” Logan told them. “The symbols have multiple meanings, but the gist is something like, ‘When the shroud of death covers the face of the earth, the one whose power is hidden will deliver the helpless’.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Max asked.

“It means something really, really bad, like maybe biblically bad, is going to happen,” Logan began.

“And you're the one who's gonna stop it,” OC finished for him, joining her group of friends.

“Look. If all of this is about White getting Max, I mean, specifically Max, then I think she should go out there,” Mole piped up.

Of course that would be his opinion. He was a soldier through and through. The idea of looking out for or caring for a friend didn’t compute with him. Only what was most advantageous.

“Forget it,” Donna gritted out to Mole.

Alec wasn’t the only one she cared about in this group. Max was a friend, and she wasn’t too happy about her friend willingly running into the enemies hands. Especially not when that enemy was White.

“No, she makes a break for it, lets him see her,” Mole argued back. “She's fast, she has a chance at making it.”

“Nope,” Alec and Logan spoke together, stepping up beside Donna, backing her up against Mole.

“Then he'll leave us alone because he knows she's gone,” Mole continued as if Alec and Logan had never spoken.

“No. No,” Logan argued more adamantly. “Out of the question, Mole!”

“Wake up, chimp!” Mole spat angrily. “We're out of options here!”

“No, you wake up,” Donna told him. “If she is the key to saving millions of people from some kind of apocalypse....”

“Your people or my people?” Mole ground at her.

“People!” Donna and Logan screamed together, Donna glancing over at Logan and letting him continue on.

“Human beings, like you and me!” Logan told Mole.

As she let Mole and Logan argue, Donna glanced at the others round her. Her eyesight, naturally, landing on Alec first. Only his eyes were off to the side, watching something else. Following his eye line, Donna saw that it was someone else he was watching.

Max, the one who had started this discussion and who the group were arguing for, had pulled away slightly, her eyes almost dazed as she stared off into space. But before Donna or Alec could question it, could ask her what she was thinking or hearing, Max snapped herself out of it with urgency, turning back to the group.

“They're coming,” she announced, hustling them away. “They're coming. Carry Gem. Come on, let's go!”

“I don't hear anything,” Mole said, his argument forgotten under this new development.

“Shh!” Max snapped at him, brushing him aside to keep giving desperate order. “Joshua, you carry Gem.”

“Max, we're clear,” Alec tried to tell her.

“Don't argue with me,” Max yelled at him, brushing him off like she had done to Mole. “Dalton, let's go. Come on. I need everybody upstairs right now. Let's go. Follow me.”

“Hang on,” Joshua said, doing as he was told and picking up Gem.

“Come on,” Max said, organising the group of transgenics, her people, those that were in danger.

Donna let her eyes again land on Alec, the worry showing through. This was it, this was what everyone in this room had been waiting for, the agitation that had been building up finally snapping. They were coming to get them… and Donna was suddenly very scared that not everyone would leave this building alive.

Alec saw the worry, Donna wasn't even trying to hide it anymore. And though he felt the same, he wouldn’t let it show. He couldn’t worry her any more than she was. So he smiled softly at her, trying to keep his usual self behind it. But he wasn’t fooling Donna. He never could.

Glancing around, Alec watched as Max herding the people around, transgenics moving to the top level while most of the ordinaries stayed downstairs, away from the trouble. Mole was at the back of the group, shogun in hand, his eyes flicking across the room quickly as he was on look out.

“Guess we better do what Max say,” Alec tried to joke, guiding Donna in front of him towards the stairs. Donna had stepped onto the third step when she realised the stairs behind her weren’t creaking. Turning, she saw Alec was still at the bottom of the stairs, and he didn’t look like he was making any move to follow her just yet.

“Alec….”

“Follow the others, Don,” Alec said. “Follow Max.”

“But you….”

“Will follow, I promise. Just go.”

“Alec, just….”

“Donna,” Alec said, stepping up to her level and cupping her face. “Right now, I gotta be the soldier they were trying to make me. For that, I need you upstairs. Safe.” Alec could see the argument in Donna’s eyes, knew what was gonna come next. So Alec stopped it before it could come, pressing his lips to hers gently.

“Please,” Alec begged her. It worked. Donna gave Alec a soft, somewhat forced smile, listening to his request and running upstairs after the others.

Upstairs, in the decrepit, almost empty storage room, Max was in full soldier mode, just like Alec. No matter how they tried to deny it, when needed, Max and Alec both knew how to dig deep and find their inner soldier, take command and fight. Only they fought for the right reason, for their friends and family, not for the reasons their creators had wanted to drill into them.

“Come on, guys, file in. Stay low. All the way to the back,” Max reeled off commands, turning to Sketchy. “Hey, Sketchy, keep 'em quiet, and keep 'em down.” She turned to the ordinaries of the group, her friends she wanted to keep safe.

“Take cover behind the desk. Behind the desk. Come on! Hurry up!” Max said to Donna, OC Normal and Dalton. She turned to Joshua, who still had Gem in his arms. “Keep her behind the desk.”

Again, Joshua followed Max’s command, laying Gem gently down on the floor beside Donna, OC and Normal. Everyone was getting into position, the ordinaries hiding while the transgenics got into fighting stance, when there was an explosion from downstairs, what sounded like the main door being blown in.

Donna’s first thought was of Alec. He was still downstairs. She watched the door, waiting for it to open, waiting for Alec to come upstairs like he had promised. And when it didn’t, the panic began to grow. She stood, about to head for the door, her own safety be damned, when the door flew open and Alec and Mole rushed in. Relief washed over her, and she took a step back into hiding.

“Take cover,” Max said to the others, her voice not quite a shout or a whisper, just low enough to be heard by those upstairs and no one else. As everyone pulled back further, took cover, Alec moved over to Donna. And Donna knew exactly what was coming.

“You are gonna stay right here with OC and the others, right,” Alec said softly, a clear statement and not a question. Donna, however, didn’t even have time to make any kind of comment before Alec was adding more. “Safe, remember. I work best when I know you’re safe.”

Donna couldn’t argue with the look in his eyes. She wanted to tell him that she felt the same, that she needed to know he was safe, but that was different. Donna was human. No matter how much she trained with Alec, she was still only human, whereas Alec was… more than human. Better. He could take care of himself and a whole lot more.

Giving her answer, Donna stepped back to beside OC, kneeling beside her and taking cover. Alec smiled, a true one this time, before moving to get into position with everyone else.

“Wait for my signal,” she heard Max’s voice. “We hit hard, we hit fast, and we don't back off. This is for all the marbles, people.”

From her position, Donna couldn’t see anything, but she could hear it all. First was the sound of window glass breaking, followed by the heavy thumps of feet dropping to the floor. The enemy were amongst them.

While the rest of the group were in perfect silence, Gem was unable to do the same. Soldier or not, her pregnancy pains were too much for her body to keep quiet. Normal tried to shush her, but it was no good. OC did what she had to, putting a rag in Gem’s mouth, both for her to bite down on and to muffle the screams, while Donna tried to sooth her.

The sound of footsteps was still walking round the room. Donna couldn’t tell how many there were, but she knew without a doubt they would all be heading towards them in their hiding place. Everywhere else was silent, so all they could do was follow the only source of sound, Gem. But just when she thought it might all be over, again came the sound of dropping footsteps… and then all Hell broke loose.

Donna had to fight the urge to look over her look out, see what was going on. One small movement and she would reveal not only herself, but OC, Normal and Gem, putting all of them and Gem’s unborn child in danger. She couldn’t do that, so all she could do was listen to the fight and hope that when it was over, it would be the transgenics that were left standing in the silence.

The part of Donna that knew how to defend herself hating hiding away in the shadows. But this wasn’t your average street punk or anything like that she would be fighting, this was far worse. She knew that above that partition, even Alec, Max and the other, so what chance did she have?

As if to prove things maybe weren’t going so well, a chair came crashing through the glass above them, scattering pieces all over the group huddled on the floor. Gem barely noticed, her attention focused on a much bigger pain.

“OK, it's time to push now,” Normal muttered to Gem from between her legs. “Come on. Push, push, push, push, push with all your might, all your might, all your might... OK, the baby's coming out. I can see the head. Now you really gotta bear down, now. Really bear down. Time to push now.”

Finally giving in, Donna peaked her head over the desk in front of the partition hiding them, looking round at the fighting. The movements were so fast, Donna couldn’t really tell who had the upper hand, the transgenic’s or White’s men. It was all just a blur of punching hands and kicking feet.

One thing she did notice, as her eyes zoned in on Alec as always, was that for him it was definitely White’s man who had the upper hand. With a swift kick to the head, an already injured Alec was sent flying to the ground. His attack didn’t even pause. Picking up the nearest item, which just so happened to be a mannequin’s leg, it was raised high, ready to be brought down heavily onto Alec.

Ready to ignore Alec’s warning to stay hidden, Donna was seconds from jumping up, doing anything she could to save him. Only it wasn’t needed, because Logan was already there. With the extra force behind his exoskeleton, Logan kicked the attacker straight across the room… and towards where Donna and the others were hiding.

Donna ducked just in time, the body of the warrior sailing through the already broken partition and landing with a thump beside Gem.

“Bear down hard, now, honey. Bear down hard,” Normal told Gem. Beside her, White’s man began to come around, but not for long. Gem poured all her pain and frustration into one punched that knocked her out cold, giving Donna and OC a chance to cuff her. “That's it. Good. Go! Push, push, push, push, push, push, push, push, push! One more big push. You gotta really crank down. Really crank down, OK?”

Above them, the sounds of fighting began to lessen until all that could be heard was panting and heavy breathing. Donna and the others waited, unsure who was left standing but hoping.

“Max! Clear!” she heard Alec’s voice shout out.

“Clear!” Mole’s voice called after it.

That was the cue telling all those in hiding that it was safe, they could come out, and that their side was stood victorious. Donna and OC stood, looking round, while Normal stayed with Gem. Round the room, White’s warriors were either knocked out or tied up, while the transgenics stood over them, checking wounds and weapons.

No need to stay hidden anymore, Donna immediately flew out of her hiding place and straight into Alec’s arms. He eagerly held her to him just as tightly as she was holding him, both glad it was over and they were still standing.

“Joshua, no. Joshua, no!” they heard Max crying from across the room. Pulling apart and turning towards her, they saw her stood over Joshua, trying to restrain him as he had White bent backwards over his knee. They could hear the bones cracking from where they were stood. “Joshua, no!”

“He deserves to die!” Joshua argued back, before his voice turned sorrowful. “He killed Annie!”

“No,” Max argued back. “He deserves to die, a lot. But if you kill him now, the only thing people will remember about today is how some transgenic killed a human being in cold blood... and then they'll never stop hunting us.”

Joshua paused for a moment, and no one was sure if he was going to listen to Max, or just keep bending until White was snapped in two. But in the end, his good heart and better judgement won out and he dropped White, pressing his foot to his neck to restrain him while Max leans in close to speak to White.

“Bring around your muscle queens anytime,” Max told him. “I'll be happy to kick their ass.”

“We are not finished,” White growled.

“Fe'nos tol, bitch,” Max replied, flicking his nose and standing, making her way to where Gem and Normal were still hiding. All had gone quite there, and it became clear why as they watched Normal hand a new born baby over to her mother.

“There you go. Oh, what a dear little sweet soul,” Normal cooed affectionately. Gem held the baby close to her, her hand cradling her head as she checked the back of her neck, smiling in relief. There was no barcode.

“No barcode,” Gem said with a slight chuckle. “She doesn't have one.”

“Then she's free,” Max said.

“Not yet, she ain't,” Mole said, stepping up beside her. “First, we need to get her and the rest of us out of the building and past the police. Any bright ideas about that.”

“I might have one,” Donna said, glancing round at the unconscious, uniformed bodies.


	19. Chapter Nineteen

Surprise, surprise, Mole hadn’t liked Donna’s idea at all. In Donna’s mind, there was one of three reasons for his. 1) Because it was just plain Donna’s idea, and he just plain didn’t like Donna, 2) Because Donna had been the one to think of it, and not him, or 3)… Because her idea involved Mole in handcuffs!

Logan in the lead, the group put their plan of escape into action. Dressed in one of the uniforms stripped from a Phalanx warrior, now gagged and bound to the posts upstairs, Logan slowly walked out amongst the waiting police officers, reporters, and nosing public.

“Weapons down! Hold your fire! Team coming out!” Logan called out, stepping out further. “Let's go. Federal agents! Step back!”

Behind him, Alec, Donna, Sketchy and Original Cindy were also dressed in pilfered uniforms, escorting the ‘prisoners’. Donna and Original Cindy gently escorted Gem and her newborn baby out, Dalton sticking close to her side. Alec and Sketchy were escorting Max, Joshua and Mole, each wearing a pair of handcuffs.

“I need you back. Move! Move! We may have a biohazard here, people. Make a hole. Make a hole. Move! Move! Let's go,” Logan continued to shout into the crowd, parting them and leading the way to an awaiting van and ambulance. On his way, he passed a confused Detective Clemente. “Agent White wants your people in there to secure the crime scene ASAP. Let's go! Let's go! Let's go, let's go!”

The ‘prisoners’ went two ways. Max, Joshua and Mole were led to the back of the van, Alec and Sketchy being rough enough to satisfy the crowd that was vying for blood, yet not enough to cause their friends and damage. Donna and Original Cindy were a bit gentler with Gem and her child, helping her into the back of the van with Dalton.

“We're going to need to commandeer this ambulance,” Logan called to the driver of the ambulance, climbing behind the wheel of the van before turning back to a still confused Clemente. “Agent White is not a man who likes to be kept waiting, Detective.”

Original Cindy climbed into the back of the ambulance, Alec climbing into the van. Donna and Sketchy swapped places, Donna climbing into the back of the van with Alec while Sketchy approached the cab of the ambulance, and the drivers who had still yet to move.

“All right, we'll take over from here, unless you want be stuck in a six-hour decontamination hose-down,” Sketchy called to the driver, getting in his face and loving his borrowed authority a little too much.

The ambulance driver, giving in to the fake authority, let Sketchy take his place behind the driver’s seat. Logan did the same in the other van, yelling out to the police and angry onlookers while Max, Joshua and Mole removed their rather loose handcuffs in the back.

“Clear the barricades. Clear the barricades,” Logan shouted out, starting up the van. “Clear the barricades! Clear 'em! Let's go!

“Nice and easy,” Max muttered from the back, Logan taking heed as he slowly drove the van through the crowd, the ambulance close behind him.

“All right, where are we going?” Sketchy asked.

“Just drive,” Original Cindy told him.

“Can I turn on the siren?” Sketchy asked, childlike.

“Just drive, fool!” Original Cindy said, getting agitated.

Soon, both the van and the ambulance made it past the crowds and onto clear roads, giving the occupants reason to celebrate as Max’s voice echoed through both vehicles with the words ‘We’re clear’. Now free, both Alec and Donna removed the helmets they were wearing, Alec’s arm going round Donna’s shoulder and pulling her into his side.

“Just for the record,” Logan’s taunting voice spoke from the front of the van, his eyes on Alec. “That chick was kicking your ass.”

“I had it. I was just settin' her up,” Alec tried to shrug it off. Thankfully, he didn’t notice Donna’s eyes flick up to Logan’s the pair trying to hide laughter.

“All right. Head for Terminal City,” Max said, all business. To her, they weren’t safe until they were safe inside their city walls.

So Logan and Sketchy continued driving, following Max’s order. And for a while, everything was fine. That was until suddenly, they weren’t the only cars on the road. Sirens and lights flashed in their rear view mirror, Clemente and the cavalry on the chase.

“Stop your vehicles now, or you will be fired upon,” Clemente’s voice boomed over his car’s bullhorn. “Pull over now, or we will use deadly force to stop you.”

“Don't stop. Keep moving,” Max said, and Logan was more inclined to listen to her.

Inside the second vehicle, Sketchy was beginning to panic at the site and sound of the police vehicles.

“Just follow Max,” Original Cindy tried to calm him down. “She's gotta know what she's doing.”

“OK,” Sketchy said, again inclined to listen to the woman in his vehicle.

Without slowing down, both vehicles approached Terminal City, the police still in tow. Up ahead, the gates were closed and locked, the city behind looking like a ghost town.

“Go straight through the gates,” Max told Logan.

“Hold on,” Logan said to the occupants in general, and they braced themselves as Logan used his speed and heavy vehicle to simply drive right through the gates. Again, the police cars were still on their tail.

“You're gonna make a right, a left, then straight up the ramp,” Max gave instructions, Logan following them to drive into the parking garage. “Straight through the building.” Logan followed her orders and drove until he couldn’t go no more, bringing the van to a stop.

“End of the line,” Logan said, the ambulance stopping behind him.

All the police cars pulled to a stop behind them, set up in a barricade. Suddenly, the van and the ambulance was under gun point, every police officer out and aiming towards them. Clemente stood at the head of the group, speaking over the bullhorn.

“Throw your weapons out and let me see your hands.”

“So what's your plan now?” Mole asked Max, and was only met with silence.

“Max?” Joshua spoke to her, listening as Clemente continuing to repeat his commands outside the van.

“You heard the man,” Max told them all, each one groaning in defeat.

“Throw your weapons out and put your hands where I can see them. Throw them out. Do it!” Clemente continued to shout.

This time, the transgenics and humans within the vehicles listened to the commands made by the police officers. Weapons were thrown out from behind barely opened doors before the occupants followed, their hands in the air. Alec stepped down first, helping Donna down after him even though he was the one who was injured.

“Step away from the vehicle, and keep those hands up. Do it!” Clemente commanding. “Put your hands up. Keep them up! Keep those hands up. Step out of the vehicle and keep those hands up. Get down on your knees and put your hands on your head.” Everyone followed these commands, hands raised as they stepped away from the van and ambulance, dropping to their knees. Everyone, that is, except Max.

“Get down on your knees now. Do it!” Clemente said, now speaking directly to Max, but she still didn’t listen. Clemente lowered the bullhorn, his eyes solely on Max. “452?”

“You can call me Max,” Max replied.

“I think you better get down on the ground,” Clemente said.

“Actually, I think you should probably go,” Max told him.

“I'm not gonna tell you again,” Clemente stated.

“I'm not gonna tell you again,” Max shot back at him.

Max’s confidence was soon justified as the sounds of guns cocking echoed round the vast area. Looking up into the shadows, Donna watched as the majority of Terminal City’s transgenics stepped out, guns aimed at the officers. Her confidence level grew with Max’s and looking round, she saw the rest of the transgenics knew the same, as did the officers, who’s faces dropped. The police were now outnumbered.

“You can try to arrest us all,” Max continued calmly to Clemente. “But you guys might want to call it a night and go have a beer.”

“All right,” Clemente called to the rest of the officers after a moment. “All right, everybody, let's back it up. Let's back it up! Outside the fence! Back it up! Come on, let's move!” Eager to listen, all the officers quickly got back into their cars, leaving just Clemente alone to talk to Max.

“You kept today from turning into a bloodbath, and I respect that.”

“You held up your end, too,” Max told him.

“But you haven't won anything,” Clemente explained to Max, though his tone wasn’t aggressive. “This is gonna get real ugly, and this is way over my head now. These people's lives depend on the decisions that you make right now. I pray you make the right ones... Max.”

Donna may have been mistaken, but the way Clemente spoke Max’s name, she almost heard… respect in his voice. Respect, and understanding. He was the last to leave, following his officers and leaving the transgenics alone.

“Escape and evade,” Mole suddenly called into the silence. “We divide up into teams, pick an azimuth, and go to ground.”

“No, we stay here,” Max called out, stopping everyone who had been beginning to move.

“In a couple of hours, that perimeter will be completely locked down,” Mole hissed at her. “Tanks, National Guard, every cop within a hundred miles.”

“We'll be digging our own grave, Max,” Dix backed up Mole.

“Mole's right,” Luke also agreed. “If we move now, they'll never be able to catch us all.”

“Where are we gonna go?” Max called out, looking round at the faces of everyone around her, human and transgenic alike.

“I can't stop anyone from leaving,” Max began her speech. “But I'm through running and hiding and being afraid. I'm not gonna live my life like that anymore. Aren't you tired of living in darkness? Don't you want to feel the sun on your face? To have a place of your own where you can walk down the street without being afraid?”

As Max spoke, Donna stood to the back of the group with the other humans, looking round at all the faces that were watching Max intensely. And she was getting through to them, if the subtle nods and intent looks were anything to go by.

“They made us,” Max continued. “And they trained us to be soldiers, to defend this country. It's time for them to face us and take responsibility, instead of trying to sweep us away like garbage. We were made in America and we're not going anywhere. So they call us freaks, who cares? Today I'm proud to be a freak. And today we're gonna make a stand, right here. Who's with me?”

As a first stand in solidarity, Max raised her fist into the air. Soon, with Joshua and Alec taking the lead, every one of the transgenics surrounding the room raised their own hands, Max’s rousing speech firing up each and every one of them. All except Mole who, for a moment, kept his hand down, looking round at all the others.

“What the hell,” Mole eventually exclaimed, joining the others as he raised his hand.

“Right on,” Original Cindy muttered from beside Donna.

Donna smiled softly, looking round at everyone before her, human and transgenics alike. Unlike the police, despite the sheer number around her, Donna felt in no way outnumbered. No matter what the papers and those in power might claim, these people before her were not monsters. They were just that, people, just as good, if not better, then those who roamed the streets as free citizens.

Looking round, she caught Alec’s eye as he turned to her, her smile growing wider to match the one he was sending her way. Thinking on everything that had happened since they had met, Donna was immensely proud of Alec and everything he had done. She could say she was proud of him, Max and every other transgenic around her.

Even Mole.


	20. Chapter Twenty

Inside the walls of Terminal City, atop the roof of the highest building she could find, Donna sat looking out over everything. She understood now why Max had such a liking for the Space Needle, even if Donna didn’t have the skills or the bravery to get that high. Sat here, overlooking miles and miles of scenery, the wind whipping through her hair and no one knowing exactly where she was, that she was there watching, it was almost… peaceful.

From her height, Donna could see both sides of the fence. She watched as inside the fence, the transgenics all moved together, making sure their barricade was tight in place and that they were safe from the enemy outside. And she also watched outside the fence, where the police set up their own barricade, making sure the enemy inside the fence couldn’t get past them. Two different groups, both scared of the other in their own ways, yet both more similar in those fears and actions then either would give the other credit for.

Donna couldn’t help but smile softly at that thought. Wasn’t that how all fights, all wars went? One side never spoke to the other long enough to realise that they had more similarities than differences, that fear and prejudice seemed to speak in higher volumes than trust and understanding. Thankfully though, that wasn’t the case for everyone.

Donna looked down at the fence dividing human from transgenic, and she pictured herself, Logan, OC and Sketchy stood atop it. Hell, after the news report she saw this morning, maybe even Normal would be stood there with them. Because that is basically where all of them stood, on the fence, right in the middle. Physically, they belonged with the humans, but their emotional connections lay within the walls of Terminal City, with the transgenics.

“Your boy’s looking for you,” a gruff voice said behind her, knocking hr from her thoughts. Donne didn’t need to turn to know that voice, as strange at it might be to hear it behind her now.

“And he sent you looking for me?” Donna joked.

“Actually, I volunteered,” he replied, and Donna turned to face Mole stood behind her.

“Yeah, because I can really see that happening,” Donna bit out sarcastically, getting to her feet.

“Look, this is hard enough for me as it is, do you wanna not make it any worse,” Mole groaned.

“What’s hard?” Donna asked.

“Admitting I was wrong.”

Donna didn’t know what to say, and she probably looked like a completely idiot, stood staring at Mole with her mouth open, but she couldn’t help it. This man was more stubborn than I was, and here he was coming to me first. This really wasn’t happening.

“Look, don’t go thinking we’re like best buds now or something,” Mole continued. “I’m still not a fan of Ordinaries. That group outside the fence prove I was right when it came to what they are capable of.” Donna wanted to argue, but really… she couldn’t. Those people out there weren’t exactly the best example of her race.

“However,” Mole continued again. “I will go as far to say you… you’re different. You put yourself on the line to help us, and you’re still stood by us now. You might not be one of us… but I don’t exactly think you’re one of them either.” Donna smiled brightly. She had achieved the unachievable and got Mole on her side.

“Now, don’t be getting any strange ideas like hugging me,” Mole said.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Donna snarked, still smiling. And she wasn’t sure, but as Mole turned away from her, he could have swore she saw a smile on his face as well.

“Hey there,” another voice piped up, and Donna looked over Mole’s shoulder to find Alec stood watching them.

“Found her,” Mole said simply as he walked past Alec and off the roof.

“Anything I should be aware of… or scared of?” Alec asked Donna.

“Nope,” she replied, popping the ‘p’. “All’s good.”

Smiling in a different way than she had for Mole, Donna stepped in front of Alec and wrapped her arms round his waist, resting her head against his chest. Alec’s own arm immediately wrapped round her, holding her tight against him as he rested his own head against the top of hers.

“Hey,” Donna said, placing a small kiss against the chest below her cheek.

“Hey back,” Alec replied, pressing his own kiss against the top of her head. “I’ve been looking all over for you. What’s got you up here?”

“I was just thinking,” Donna said, pulling her head back to look up at Alec.

“About?” Alec asked.

“Everything, from all you guys in her, to the fun little barricade out there, to….” Donna trailed off, not sure how to go about discussing with Alec what else she had been thinking about during her time up here.

“To what, babe?” Alec asked, tilting her chin up to look into her eyes.

“Well… I was thinking about what you told me once about this place, Terminal City,” Donna said softly. “The reason it’s so safe for you guys to be here knowing they can’t get in is the background radiation, right? You guys have immunity to it, so it’s safe for you, right?” Alec nodded in response, and the look in his eyes told Donna that he knew where she was going with this, but she still said it.

“So what about me?” she asked. “There’s an entire army of police out there that, by know, are probably aware of all of us that chose to help you. Which means there is probably a very high chance that if I was to just walk out those gates, I’d be arrested.”

“I don’t know, you could always tell them we kidnapped you,” Alec said with a smirk.

“And get you in more trouble, not a chance,” Donna replied to his sarcasm. “But I know I can’t stay here forever either, not with the radiation. So what am I supposed to do?” To Donna’s worries, Alec simply smirked.

“Well then,” he began, that smirk still firmly in place. “Aren’t you lucky you have a wonderfully thoughtful and resourceful boyfriend.” Donna just gave him an almost confused look, needing a better explanation then that right now. Alec let out a little, breathy laugh, his smirk turning to a genuine smile.

“You had to figure I’d think of that too, babe,” Alec said. “And I have. I don’t wanna lose you to either the radiation in here or the police out there. So I went on a little scavenger hunt, and guess what I managed to find?”

“What did you manage to find?” Donna said, his somewhat playfully manner infectious as she smiled along with him, moving her arms up to wrap round hid neck. Alec’s smile changed again, this time to a more playful one as his arms wrapped round her waist pulled her in closer.

“You know, I think my ego needs a little stroking before I unveil my brilliant idea,” Alec said.

“Trust me Sweetie… it really doesn’t,” Donna told him.

“Humour me anyway,” Alec said.

“Fine,” Donna said, trying to hide her smile behind a fake exasperated sigh. “Alec, my wonderfully smart and very resourceful boyfriend….”

“You forgot handsome.”

“Of course, incredible handsome as well. Will you please tell me this amazingly brilliant idea of yours, that I am sure I will be utterly astounded by, because you are ‘practically perfect in every way’.”

“Why thank you, sweet Donna.”

“That is when you’re not being a smart Alec,” Donna muttered under her breath, knowing Alec and his transgenic abilities would hear it anyway.

“You’ve been talking to Max, haven’t you?” Alec said, his head cocked to the side, and Donna couldn’t help but liken him to an adorable, inquisitive puppy.

“She might have told me a little story about just how you got your name,” Donna said with a smirk and a small shrug. “But how about we get back onto the main topic?”

“OK. Well, on my little search around Terminal City, I managed to find a tunnel leading out past the perimeter… and it’s safe. The structure is perfect, it’s more than big enough for someone to walk through it and, best of all, nobody outside seems to know about it. There is no police barricade anywhere near it like there is with every other exit.”

“But what if more people like me start coming and going through it? Won’t the police start noticing it then?”

“Another great thing, it comes out in the middle of nowhere, completely away from anything those cops out there believe is anything to do with Terminal City! I really don’t think there is any chance of the tunnel being found out!”

“So you’re saying me and anyone else who chooses can come and go as we please?” Donna said, her smile growing wider in joy. “I don’t have to leave here permanently.”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” Alec said, his smile just as wild.

Still smiling widely, Donna used her arms round Alec’s neck as leverage, pulling herself against him in a tight hug. She heard Alec’s gently laugh beside her ear as his own arms pulled tighter around her, lifting her off her feet a few inches.

“I take back my sarcasm,” Donna laughed, dropping back down to her feet and pulling back slightly to look at Alec, still only centimetres away from him. “You are everything I said you were.”

As Donna leaned forward to press her lips against Alec’s, she found out that is was rather nice, kissing someone while they were laughing.

“I was looking for you for a reason,” Alec said as they pulled away, pecking her lips lightly. “There is somewhere we need to be.”

@~~>~~~

Up on another rooftop inside Terminal City, one not so high as the previous one Donna had been stood on but important as it was what the trangeincs were now calling Command Centre, Donna stood beside Alec, surrounded by other transgenics, as they watched the small ritual before them.

On one of her previous trips to Terminal City, Donna had seen the flag Joshua has painted. She knew some trangenics had laughed at the idea of a Terminal City flag, but she had been told by Max and Alec, the meaning Joshua had put behind each section. She had smiled at that, finding it beautifully poetic and completely like Joshua.

Now Joshua, along with a few other transgenics, were raising the flag, secured to a pole, to stand straight, blowing triumphantly in the window.

Donna looked round at everyone around her, each of them holding the same, proud smile. To her left, Gem was stood holding her daughter in her arms, sporting a true motherly smile at the little girl as she looked down at the first of their kind to be born outside of the captivity of Manticore. On her right, she looked to where Max and Logan stood together, their hands locked together under the protective covering of gloves. And both of them looked happy for their own reasons.

“Now look what you’ve done,” Donna heard Logan say softly to Max, who smiled at him in return.

Donna couldn’t agree more with that statement. All this, this new place to live where they felt safe, this organisation of everyone, this unsteady truce they had with the barricade outside… most of that was to do with Max. She had found her cause and worked hard to get the best for both herself and everyone else she called family.

From beside her, Alec snaked his arm round her waist, pulling her close into his side. Looking up at him, Donna saw the same soft smile that had been on Logan’s face a moment ago. She gave him the same soft smile before kissing him gently and resting her head on his shoulder.

Since she had lost her own family, Donna had searched for a new one of her own. Meeting Alec… no, she had never expected this, but she had at least hoped he could be part of that. But now she had more. While Max had helped her people, Alec had helped her. He cared about her and for her, helped her survive things she didn’t know if she would have on her own, and had introduced her to people she couldn’t now not imagine being in her life, whether they were what the outside world called mutants or not.

These people around her, because that’s what they really were, people. They may not have been her blood… but they were still her family.


End file.
